Erojutsu Crossroads
by The Digger
Summary: A Pre-Sequel to Sex Education: Anko Mitarashi Style. Despite being uninterested in doing so, Anko's returned to the Ninja Academy for another year of teaching, but some things things aren't as they should be. What is Daimao's Den planning?
1. You want me to do what now? (again?)

**1/1/14: Reuploaded due to a FF glitch. Happy New Year!**

"You want me to what now?" Anko demanded, turning to Iruka, who had just delivered her a bit of news she wasn't particularly enthusiastic about.

"You're needed for your mandatory year of volunteer academy teaching duty." Iruka repeated.

"Not happening." Said Anko flatly, munching on a dango. "Waiter! Get me some sake! I'm not paying to stay sober damn it!"

"It's required of all chunin-level ninja," Iruka started, but he was cut off by Anko.

"I told you I'm not doin' it. It's called 'volunteer' for a reason, and I'm volunteering to stay out of it." She said, snatching the sake bottle irritably from the waiter and pouring herself a glass.

"Well, regardless, it's required. The Hokage himself told me you were long past due." Iruka stated. Anko sighed. She may be able to turn this annoying scar face down, but the Hokage? A different story entirely. "Just because you were promoted to Jounin earlier than most doesn't mean that you're exempt from teaching duty."

"Alright, fine, but don't expect me to be the perfect sensei you think I should be." Anko sighed. "Leave the bottle, asshole." She added to the waiter, who backed away at her sharp tone.

"Good enough." Iruka sighed, grinning slightly.

"What would I need to do?" Anko asked, pushing aside her cup and lifting the sake jug to take a swig, before putting it down in sudden realization. "Wait a minute." She said just as Iruka opened his mouth to reply. "This feels awfully familiar."

"Huh?" Iruka blinked.

"We've been through this little song and dance last year, haven't we?" Anko reminded him. "And besides, I've done my mandatory year of Academy teaching, and I already said you'd have to be crazy to think I'd do it again, so why're you asking me to do this shit again?"

"We're short a sex ed teacher for this year, and Academy regulation #33-2 ch7 on..."

"Wrap it up." Anko sighed, not interesting in knowing the entire name and placement of rules in the teacher handbook.

"If no new teacher can be found to replace a volunteer, then the volunteer teacher is called back to fill the position for another year, and/or however long it takes for another new teacher to be found." Iruka summarized.

"Even if I was interested, and I'm really not..." said Anko, taking a swig of sake. "I can't. I've got students of my own to train, a crime syndicate to hunt down, missions to fulfill, guys and girls to bang... I'm a busy woman, Iruka. I had fun teaching last year, sure, but I've got no interest or reason to teach again."

"I'm sure, but as I said, this is the Hokage's order, not mine." Iruka reminded her. "I would suggest speaking to him if you have any concerns."

"Doesn't the man overshadowing the Leaf Village have better things to do than concern himself with a bunch of trivial school junk?" Anko rolled her eyes and getting up to leave.

"I'm just going to ignore that..." Iruka muttered. Just then, a question had occurred to him, prompting him to follow Anko. "Oh, uh, Anko?"

"'Sup?"

"I just wanted to know; how are Naruto and Hinata doing?" Iruka asked.

"In bed, or in training?" Anko teased.

"You know what I'm talking about."

"They're doing great on both accounts." Anko replied. "Although, to summarize, they haven't really grown up all that much since they've graduated; Naruto's just as much of a devious troublemaker, and Hinata's just as coy, but they're both well on their way."

"How many missions have you been on so far?" Iruka asked.

"Misions?" Anko muttered, rather disappointed with the answer she had to give. "None."

"None?" Iruka blinked. "You... just mean no C-Rank Missions or higher, right?" He asked. He knew that Anko was one of those ninjas who scoffed at the oddjob D-Rank Missions, barely even qualifying them as missions at all.

"No real missions, yeah." Anko nodded. "Sorry, but I've said it before, and I'd gladly say it again; D-Ranks are no missions at all. They don't even qualify as training, way I see it. So aside from wasting time on oddjobs, all we've done is train and f..."

"You don't need to tell me what you do when you're not training." Iruka said quickly. "You know Anko, I know you think they're stupid..."

"Which they really are." Anko grunted.

"...But they are important for developing basic skills and discipline necessary for higher-ranking missions."

"I just wish the old man would give us a real mission now and then." Anko sighed, to which Iruka couldn't help but chuckle.

"You sound just like Naruto." He grinned. "Anyway you might be able to tell him about that when you go see him."

"Huh?

"The open teaching position wasn't the only reason I sent for you," Iruka explained. "The Hokage's sent out a summons to all of this year's squad leaders. I'm not sure what he has planned, but I would assume that he needs to see you just as much as the others."

"Two birds with one stone." Anko grinned. "Thanks, Iruka. Later."

* * *

She headed for the Hokage's office, only to find the entrance way blocked by several other adults cramped inside.

"Anko Mitarashi, there you are!" The gravelly voice of the Third Hokage sounded.

"What's going on here?" Anko asked impatiently, trying to squeeze between the other Jounin blocking her way to the front desk. "Why are there so many people in here, and what's the deal with trying to shove this teaching crap on me again?!"

"I believe Iruka might have already told you why you're teaching again." The elderly man said plainly, lighting his pipe.

"That's not quite what I meant." Anko shook her head. Normally in this situation, she would have given her two cents on why being forced to teach again was absurd considering her circumstances, but then she remembered the many others packed into the room that clearly took higher priority. She could ask about her lack of decent missions at a later time too anyway. "But I guess it doesn't really matter right now." She grunted, backing away from the desk. "So, what are all these people crammed in here for?"

"I will get straight to the point then." The Third said, seeming glad to be able to. "There has been a confusion concerning this year's squad arrangements."

"What kind of 'confusion?'" asked Kakashi Hatake, a masked Jounin in the far back corner.

"Ah, you are here, Kakashi. Good." The Hokage nodded, exhaling a puff of smoke that choked a few of the people in the room.

"Put simply, the squads that you have currently been assigned were done so by mistake." It wasn't the Hokage who spoke however. Several Jounin gasped as a frail-looking man in a dark kimono stepped out from behind the Hokage's chair, his right eye wrapped in bandages, one hand gripping a walking stick, the other cradled inside his kimono.

"What the hell are you doing here, Danzo?!" Anko demanded impulsively.

"I am here, Mitarashi, to correct our Lord Hokage's mistake." Danzo croaked, a subtle sharpness in his tone. "I have very important reasons for arranging this year's candidates as I have, and it seems our current leadership was foolish enough to disregard the significance of those arrangements."

"I was under the impression that you had more important things to do than decide what students go to what teachers." Kakashi commented.

"I do." Danzo stated. "However, as I've said, I have important reasons for choosing this year's squad placements, and they are not to be questioned by anybody, not even our Lord Hokage, who has made the grievous misstep of ignoring my plans."

"_Plans?" _Anko thought, gritting her teeth. She, like many other Konoha ninja, knew that if Danzo interfered with anything, no matter how seemingly trivial, no good could ever come of it, and the idea that freshly graduated Shinobi were being involved in whatever he was planning made her sick to her stomach.

"If our students were assigned to their current squads by mistake, does that mean that they've never been official Genin up until now?" asked Asuma Sarutobi.

"Yes and no..." The Hokage replied. "They have passed whatever tests that you have presented, meaning that as of now, they are indeed official Genin. However, it is up to whatever new Jounin squad leader they will be assigned to whether or not their Genin status is questioned."

"Which means, whatever new students I'm given, I will need to test them accordingly, yes?" asked Kurenai Yuhi, a new Jounin.

"The decision to test them is entirely yours." The third replied. "Is everybody here in understanding?" A brief murmur of consent followed, but Anko was not among them.

"Not really." She spoke up. "My most sarcastic of apologies, Danzo, but if you plan to split up my squad, or anybody else's for that matter, I believe everyone who tested these students has a right to know why they're being reassigned."

"Your point has been noted, Mitarashi." Danzo grunted. "And ignored. Know only that such alterations are essential to the future of the Leaf. Lord Hokage, if you will..." He stepped aside, leaving the Hokage to read off the new squad lists that he had provided him.

"_You ruthless son of a bitch." _Anko growled. _"Just what's going on in that fucked-up head of yours?!"_

"...Squad 7 will be led by Kakashi Hatake, and comprise of Naruto Uzumaki, Sakura Haruno, and Sasuke Uchiha." The Hokage read, to Anko's frustration, which only grew as he moved on to the next new assignment: "Squad 8 will be led by Kurenai Yuhi, and comprise of Hinata Hyuuga, Kiba Inuzuka, and Shino Aburame."

"You gotta be shitting me!" Anko blurted. "That eliminates me from the roster entirely!"

"What were you expecting?" Danzo retorted. "You're not even a full Jounin, of course you wouldn't be considered competent enough to lead a squad, especially not one so... disjointed."

"Are you asking for a fight, ya son of a...!?" Anko growled, but a harsh stare from the Hokage told her it was best to stand down. "Sorry, Lord Hokage. Continue."

"Lastly, Squad 10 will be led by Asuma Sarutobi, comprising of Ino Yamanaka, Chouji Akimichi, and Shikamaru Nara."

"What of Yakuko Kadota, and Emi Shiawase?" spoke up Nikia Zaraki, who didn't even need to step forward, as she stood at least a foot higher than the others in the room.

"They will be failed, and sent back to the Academy, of course." Danzo stated.

"Now wait a fuck!" Anko roared. "Excluding me and Nikia from teaching, that I can kinda let slide, but failing two students who passed their Genin exams is just going to far...!"

"One more outburst, and I will see to it that you join them, and that disgrace Suzume, in the Academy's first year class!" Danzo snarled.

"Enough out of both of you!" The Hokage shouted, sparks flying as he slammed his pipe on the edge of his desk. "I have spoken, and the new Genin squads stand thus. You are all dismissed." He sighed wearily as he saw that Anko was the only one not to follow Danzo and the crowd of Jounin out of the office.

"There's nothing I can do in this matter." He stated. "You know that, Anko."

"Yeah, yeah..." Anko sighed, nodding reluctantly. "But seriously, Lord Hokage, where does he get off?! The teams were already selected, already tested, and already set off, and he just..." She suppressed an irritable snarl at the mere thought of Danzo. She had always hated him, and wished that she could employ the most painful measures of torture upon him imaginable, as he had a tendency to butt into affairs that had nothing to do with himself, resulting in arguably the worst decisions the Leaf Village had ever seen.

"Danzo is a valuable asset, even if his decisions and actions are undesirable." The Hokage stated with a hint of disgust in his voice. "Though... I must confess, I feel disgusted saying that. I am in agreement with you on this matter; however, it is beyond my control. If Danzo has need to interfere, then I can do little about it."

"What reason does he even have to do something like this?" Anko wondered.

"You know I cannot tell you even if I knew for certain." The Hokage shook his head. "But, I can say without a shadow of a doubt that it has something to do with the recent reappearance of Daimao's Den." He frowned as he exhaled a stream of smoke from his nostrils. "He's made similar demands back when they threatened the village before."

"Like you need to remind me..." Anko grunted. She wasn't exactly unfamiliar with the sinister crime syndicate Daimao's Den, nor the despicable tactics of Danzo Shimura.

"I understand you're opposed to Danzo's actions, as I am." The Hokage assured her. "But understand too that I have no intention of allowing any unnecessary casualties this time around."

"You say that like you approve of his methods." Anko frowned.

"Of course not." The Hokage frowned right back. "I've argued against his methods, but there's little that can be done now. It's only a matter of time until we face another war with Daimao's Den, and as much as I object to Danzo's choices, they are the best chance we have to preparing our new Genin for such an eventuality. You understand this better than anybody, Anko."

"Yes, sir." Anko nodded reluctantly. "It's just... preparing them for war?" As much as Anko believed that her Genin students should be treated as adults, war was one thing she hoped they would never need to prepare for.

"No matter your age, no matter your era, war is a disease that everyone hopes to be rid of." The Hokage spoke grimly, understanding Anko better than anybody. "But, the more one is prepared for war, the less pain they will suffer when it plagues them."

"You don't really think it'll come to that?" Anko gritted her teeth. She knew how powerful Daimao's Den could be, but another war with them now seemed inconceivable.

"No, and I hope for my entire nation's sake that Danzo is wrong when he says that it is inevitable. But, regretfully... he almost never is."

"He does have a disturbing way of making bad things happen..." Anko sighed.

"Indeed." The Hokage nodded grimly. "Conversely though..." He cast a grin at Anko. "Lately, you've proven to have a way of making some very good things happen. And I know you have no intention of accepting Danzo's actions, so I hope this year, be it inside or outside your classroom, you make even more good things happen."

"You bet!" Anko smirked, turning to leave but stopping just as she reached for the doorknob. "Oh, one more thing. I've been wondering: what would I need to do in order to be promoted to a full Jounin?"

"Why do you ask?"

"Oh... no reason really..." Anko lied casually. "Just curious, is all."

"If you have no reason to ask, I would have no reason to answer." The Hokage hid a smirk behind the shade of his hat as he relit his pipe. "But, since you've asked..." He retrieved a few papers from his desk and began to fill them out. "I might have received a few recommendations from some of the villagers that may aid your promotion."

"Indeed?" Anko raised an eyebrow interestedly.

"Indeed. Which means that now, you need only be tested to ensure that you're ready for the rank of Jounin." The Hokage said.

"What would I need to do?"

"I might procure something for you soon enough..." The Hokage replied. "In the meantime, I suggest you focus your attention on your new class."

"Thanks, Lord Hokage." Anko smiled, stepping out of the old man's office.

* * *

"Anko-sensei said she'd be back by now..." sighed Naruto Uzumaki, arms crossed as he sat on the couch at Anko's apartment, waiting impatiently.

"Well... She did say she might be busy today." Hinata Hyuuga suggested, though she herself could admit that she wanted her sensei to come back as much as Naruto.

Ever since their academy graduation, the two Genin had shared a loving relationship and bedroom with Anko Mitarashi, participating in sexual activities with her almost every night after training, and taking turns with dominance in her 'rec room' in the basement, which had been decorated to suit every sexual desire imaginable, and Anko was not one to be late for a single moment of three-way intercourse...Which was why today, her Genin partners found themselves impatiently waiting for her, their urges pent up and desperate for relief.

"We could start without her." Naruto suggested. "If she's got a meeting, she's gonna be a while anyway."

"I'd rather not do that to Anko-sensei..." Hinata muttered.

"C'mon, it's not like we're excluding her from the party..." Naruto smirked, reaching around behind Hinata and groping her ample breasts. "We're just warming ourselves up for her."

Hinata wanted to object, but between that touch of Naruto's she couldn't resist, and her already pent-up urges, she couldn't say no to his little 'warm-up.' "Oh... okay." She conceded. "But you take the blame if Anko-sensei gets mad at us."

"Fair enough." Naruto said unconcernedly, already unzipping Hinata's jacket and pulling up her shirt. "No bra?" He chuckled as her breasts were bared with a simple lift of her shirt.

"Well... it seemed pointless to put one on when I knew you'd take it off in a few minutes anyway." Hinata giggled.

Ever since graduating the academy and their virginity, Hinata and Naruto had developed quite the energetic sex life; one that'd only grown more so since they moved in with Anko. Many would consider it immoral/morally questionable that two 12 year olds were having so much sex with one another, never mind the fact that they regularly screwed with a grown woman on the side, but, as Anko had said repeatedly 'Old enough to kill, old enough to fuck!', a phrase the young couple had taken to heart every day, and today was no exception as they had stripped each other of clothes in a matter of seconds.

"Er, should we take this downstairs?" Hinata asked.

"Eh... Nah!" Naruto laughed, sitting overtop of Hinata on the couch. "Let's just do it here and now."

"Okay." Hinata grinned, placing her hands softly on his shoulders. "But first..." She giggled as she turned Naruto over, pushing him down onto the couch and mounting him. Naruto was going to counter her playful roughhousing, but he stopped everything as Hinata dropped into his lap, his penis sliding into her vagina. He smiled and relaxed as Hinata pumped on his cock, her breasts bouncing enticingly with each up-and-down motion, deep, lustful moans escaping her mouth as her pussy closed in around Naruto.

"I hope Anko-sensei takes even longer." She said through cries of ecstasy.

"Same here." Naruto grinned, Hinata leaning down to rest herself against her lover's chest, continuing to work her hips, just as she heard the front door open.

"Oh, hey Anko-sensei, good of you to join..." Naruto said, before breaking off awkwardly. Hinata turned her head to look to the door, but stopped everything she was doing, steam blowing from her ears and turned bright red as she saw a black-haired woman who certainly was not Anko, standing in the doorway.

Her face turned the same color as her bright eyes at the sight of their intercourse, and though she opened her mouth to speak, she couldn't bring herself to say a word, instead awkwardly backing out and closing the door.

Naruto and Hinata both looked to the closed door transfixed before turning to each other, each one very red in the face.

"Should we...?" Naruto muttered.

"Yes." Hinata nodded awkwardly. Though reluctant to stop, she pulled herself up off of Naruto's cock and each of them quickly got dressed before hurrying out to see the woman's back facing them as she looked off the balcony.

"W-was there something you wanted to see Anko-sensei for?" Hinata asked.

"I wasn't... interrupting you two, was I?" The woman asked, still not facing the Genin.

"Ah, no, no not at all..." Naruto said sheepishly. "Er, so... are you here for Anko-sensei?"

"I actually came here to see Hinata." The woman replied, facing Hinata sternly, though still blushing prominently. "I don't know if you two have heard yet, but recently, you've each been reassigned to new Genin squads."

"When did that happen?!" Naruto blurted.

"Just a few hours ago today. My name is Kurenai Yuhi, and I've been assigned Shino Aburame, Kiba Inuzuka, and you, Hinata Hyuuga."

"So... So Naruto and I aren't...?" Hinata stifled, shocked at such news.

"Then who am I being assigned to?" Naruto asked.

"That'd be me." He whirled around and looked up on the roof to see a masked man with white hair sticking straight up as though it were fresh cut straw. "Sup?" The Jounin greeted him before hopping down to stand on the balcony. "I'm Kakashi Hatake, and you're assigned to me now, Naruto Uzumaki, alongside Sakura Haruno and Sasuke Uchiha."

"Nuh-uh!" Naruto objected. "I don't care about Sakura, and I sure as hell don't care about Sasuke!"

"I would say I was surprised to hear you didn't care about Sakura, but..." Kakashi's only exposed eye drifted aside. Obviously, Kurenai wasn't the only one who saw what Naruto and Hinata were doing just a moment ago. "...Anyway, it's out of our hands who you may be assigned to. The fact is, you're a part of my team now."

"What for?" Naruto demanded. "Why're you splitting us up like that?"

"Don't think of it as 'splitting you up.' You two seem to have quite the healthy love life." Kakashi teased. "Anyway, it's hardly our doing."

"It's the orders of Danzo and the 3rd Hokage." Kurenai supplied.

"Danzo?" Naruto and Hinata asked together.

"The biggest piss ant in all of Konoha." Anko growled as she joined the others on the balcony. "I just hope you kids will never need to find out why."

"There you are, Anko." Kurenai nodded. "Then we'll only need to say it once."

"Say what?" Anko and Naruto said simultaneously.

"That we'll need to retest your former students." Kakashi stated.

"What're you talking about? They've passed my test, and your students have passed yours, so what would be the point?" Anko reasoned.

"First, we don't know how well your students tested with you." Kurenai answered. "I would like to see firsthand how Hinata is in the field before setting my reconfigured team out on any missions.

"Likewise, I need to evaluate Naruto's skills." Kakashi added. "Second, we don't know how our new additions will perform in a field situation with our old ones, and it's best to find out if they weigh down our team before they cause us problems, not after."

"Indeed?" Anko grunted. "And what if Naruto DOES cause problems for you?"

Naruto sighed at such a question. He was beginning to feel like a child whose bad behavior was being discussed between parent and teacher.

"Let me put it this way..." Kakashi said casually. "How friendly was he with Suzume?"

"You son of a bitch." Anko sighed.

"Now, Anko, if you have such faith in your students, then that's not going to happen." Kakashi assured her. "You would do the same if you got new students, correct?"

"I guess I would." Anko conceded.

"Hinata, I want you to meet me at Training Ground 4 tomorrow morning. Do not be late." Kurenai stated. "And be sure that you come to me with a level head, or else passing may prove impossible."

"Yes, ma'am." Hinata bowed her head. She couldn't help but feel slightly rattled by Kurenai's wording, but she also couldn't help but hear a note of pleasantness in her tone, as though she were simply giving her new student a piece of friendly advice.

"Also..." Kurenai's face once more turned pink. "I would suggest you wear a sports bra or... something with plenty of support." Hinata squealed, blushing too as she covered her chest.

"Naruto, you're to meet me at the training grounds tomorrow morning as well, Field 8." Kakashi stated. "So... with that being said, any questions? Anything to say that DOESN'T involve complaints with the current team line-ups?" He added as Naruto opened his mouth, undoubtedly to give his two cents on his undesirable assignment to the same team as Sasuke, and/or being separated from his favorite teammate.

"Yeah, I got one." Anko smirked. "Any of you two wanna join us downstairs for tonight?"

"We'll pass." Kakashi and Kurenai said together.

"Eh, had to ask." Anko shrugged.

"In that case, I'll take my leave." Kurenai nodded, vanishing.

"As will I." Kakashi stood to leave before turning back to Naruto. "Oh, actually... Tomorrow, I suggest you not eat breakfast; there's a great chance you might vomit during my test otherwise." He vanished in a puff of smoke, leaving Naruto both confused and terrified at his teacher's words.

"What'd he mean by that?" He cringed, staring at where Kakashi had been.

"Just a classic bootcamp intimidation tactic." Anko rolled her eyes. "Tests, class curriculums, asshole higher-ups... we can worry about all that another time. For now, let's just go inside and fuck like there's no tomorrow!"

Just as she opened the door, however, it was to see another man standing just inside her apartment; one with very familiar pale white eyes.

"Whoa! Hey, I didn't know there were any Hyuuga men who were into what I'm into..." Anko chuckled. "But if you wanted to join in, all you had to do was ask!"

"Ms. Mitarashi, I have no interest in whatever activities you plan to engage in." The Hyuuga man stated. "I've come because I have a message to deliver to one of your pupils."

What brings you here, Ko?" Hinata asked curiously. "Does Father wish to speak to me?"

"Ah, so you know this guy." Anko observed.

"I've been Lady Hinata's caretaker since she was young." The man named Ko nodded politely. "More to the point however, no, I'm not here for you." He pointed straight at Naruto.

"Eh? Me?" Naruto blinked, pointing to himself uncertainly.

"Yes, you." Ko nodded. "Hiashi wishes to speak to you in regards to your... arrangements with Lady Hinata."

"Uh?" Naruto muttered. "What do you mean? Is... something wrong?"

"I was not given any sort of detail explaining why he wishes to see you." Ko stated matter-of-factly. "He simply ordered me to inform you that he has summoned you."

"I'm coming too." Hinata stated.

Ko looked as though he objected, or else wished to advise against such an idea, but he conceded regardless. "As you wish, Lady Hinata."

"I'll be here when you get back." Anko waved them off.

"They won't be coming back tonight." Ko corrected. "Hiashi stated that he wishes Naruto to return to his old residence following their meeting." He led Naruto and Hinata out, and Anko sighed as the door closed, leaving her alone in the house.

"Great." She sighed. "Guess I'll just work on my curriculum then..."

* * *

Naruto had only once been to the Hyuuga clan's compound, and even though Hiashi Hyuuga, Hinata's father, had summoned him that time to express his approval of their relationship, Naruto doubted he was asked to return for such positive reasons. From the moment he stepped up to the massive oak gate he felt a powerful sense of foreboding about the Clan's property, as though he was here to be executed by the Clan Leader himself.

Hinata, too, felt frightened about the surroundings she had once called home, but for as much as she shared Naruto's nervousness, she was burning with questions for her father more than anything.

Just as they had taken their shoes off inside the entrance, another Hyuuga, this one just a year or two older than them, with very long brown hair and eyes considerably colder than Ko's, greeted them.

"Your father didn't summon you here." He stated coldly to Hinata, and Naruto gritted his teeth with annoyance as the boy gave his girlfriend a look that implied that she was not welcome in his presence.

"I... have a right to know what father wants of him, Neji." Hinata said meekly, trying and failing to sound brave.

"If you insist." Neji muttered, leading them through the house. "But don't be surprised if he disagrees with your insolence."

Though he hadn't even known Neji for a full minute, Naruto could safely say that he hated him already. Not only did he speak in that superficial way that irritated him to no end, and not only did he talk down on Hinata, but judging by how she shrank in his presence, pressing a finger under her lower lip, he was anything but kind to her.

"So... what are we here for?" asked Naruto.

"YOU are here because Hiashi wishes you to be. Hinata's presence is unwanted." Neji stated. "If you're asking why he wants you here, then I myself am unsure. You will find out in just a moment." He stopped at a shoji door at the end of the hallway, knelt, and rapped on the floor at the door's edge. "The boy is here, as you requested." He called. "You also have an uninvited guest."

"As expected." A stern voice sighed. "Send them in."

"Do you require any further assistance?" Neji asked.

"Have Hitomi bring us some refreshment. It's possible we may be here for some time."

"Yes sir."

The shoji opened, and Naruto swallowed as the stoic eyes of Hiashi Hyuuga stared into his own. "Now then," He stated in a flat, serious tone. "What brings you here?"

"Whatya mean?!" Naruto grunted indignantly. "You brought us here, gramps!"

"Naruto...!" Hinata sighed. Naruto froze with fear as he realized what he had just said... and moreover WHO he just said it to.

"I will allow you to speak as candidly as necessary..." Hiashi stated. Though his gaze was unchanged, his eyes were clearly glaring freshly-sharpened kunai at the boy. "However, I do command your respect. Now, have a seat." He gestured to the cushion at the table opposite him.

"Ah, yes sir...!" Naruto squealed, taking his seat right away.

"And for your information, I was asking Hinata why she chose to summon herself alongside you." Hiashi continued, his eyes turning to his daughter. "You may seat yourself, if you intend to stay." He added.

"Ah, um..." Hinata mumbled, trying to compose herself as she took her seat. "Yes..." She sat down next to Naruto. "As for why I chose to accompany Naruto..."

"You believe this is a matter that may or may not concern you?" Hiashi spoke over her.

"Er... yes." Hinata nodded. "Naruto and I are one, and, though I didn't want to impose, I thought it would be necessary to find out why you have called him."

"Very well then..." Hiashi muttered ambiguously. "Naruto Uzumaki, is it true that you still bear a healthy, devoted relationship to Hinata Hyuuga?"

"Yes." Naruto nodded truthfully, though something about Hiashi's wording made both him and Hinata turn slightly pink.

"And you fully intend to stay true to the promises you've made in the cave?"

"I would keep those promises to my dying breath." Naruto said decisively. "Why are you asking me this? I've done nothing wrong."

"Of that I have little doubt." Hiashi said, just as a beautiful woman with dark ink blue hair like Hinata's stepped into the room, presenting everyone present with a cup of steaming hot tea. Hinata looked as if she wanted to speak to her mother, but knew that right now, it was best to focus her attention on her father as he spoke.

"Then what's the problem?" Naruto asked before blowing lightly on his tea.

"Naruto Uzumaki, are you aware that only a fully-fledged Shinobi is worthy of bearing a meaningful relationship with a Hyuuga heir?" Hiashi asked.

"No, first time I'm hearing this." Naruto shrugged. "Why?"

"If I am not mistaken, and I know that I am not, your place as a Genin is in question." Hiashi stated firmly. "Therefore, as of tonight, you may no longer share a residence with my daughter."

"Wha?!" Naruto blurted, almost spilling his drink just as he made to take a sip.

"Unless you retain your rank as a Shinobi, having the right to share a room with Hinata will be the least of your worries." Hiashi clarified sharply.

"What are you saying father?" Hinata asked, forced to place her cup down so as to not spill it due to her shaky hands.

"He's saying that if we don't both pass, we don't get to be together no matter what." Naruto grunted, as he slumped his head down on the table. "Is that right?"

"More than that." Hiashi explained. "You and Hinata have participated in a sacred ceremony with one another, one in which you two have... consummated your union. If you fail, you are no longer a Shinobi, and therefore, considered to have as good as violated a Hyuuga heiress; a crime punishable by death."

"WHA?!" Naruto turned chalk white at these words.

"That's not true!" Hinata cried. "It... can't be...!"

"It is." Hiashi said sharply. "Naruto Uzumaki, ensure that the next time we meet again will not be the last."

"Eh... right." Naruto sighed, hanging his head low. "No pressure..." Just before Hinata could move to comfort him though, he stood his head back up right, shooting Hiashi a wild grin. "Thanks, pops! You've given me just the motivation I've needed!"

"I did?" Hiashi blinked, perplexed.

"He did?!" Hinata said, just as confused.

"Yep!" Naruto grinned. "I know I should be falling apart by now, what with being separated from my favorite sensei, the girl I love in another squad, and me being stuck with the second most annoying grouch in Konoha..."

"Second?" Hiashi raised an eyebrow, not sure what to think of Naruto's words.

"...And today, I've been left with no idea what to do because of all these changes, but just now, you've told me exactly what I should be doing."

"Which is?"

"To just get up and go for it! Thanks for the talk, pops! I'll see you again real soon!" Naruto smiled ear to ear, getting up to leave, but stopping and doubling back. "Oh, and next time I see you, it WON'T be with my head at the chopping block. You can bet on that!" He skipped out of the room with Hinata giggling right behind him, leaving Hiashi dumb-founded.

"I don't know if my daughter's taste in boys is good or bad..." He sighed, shaking his head.

"Definitely good, if he can stare down your death stare!" Hitomi giggled. "Do you think he knows your little death threat was fake?"

"Honesty? I doubt it." HIashi shrugged. "But moreover, I doubt he cares either way."

"What it is with Hyuuga men and their fake death threats, I'll never know." Hitomi shook her head. "Remember how tough your father was on us?"

"All too well..." Hiashi sighed. "But I doubt he would have been quite as harsh if you didn't deliberately provoke him. At least that boy has some sense."

"And what's that supposed to mean?" Hitomi teased.

"Nothing." Hiashi shook his head with amusement. "I just remember when my father gave you this exact same talk. I wonder though...?"

"What's that?" Hitomi asked.

"Did you have any idea that his death threat was fake?"

"I knew it almost instantly." Hitomi chuckled, wrapping her arms around her husband. "But, even if I didn't, I doubt that would have changed anything. I loved you too much to care."

"I see where she gets her loving nature from." Hiashi smiled. "I'm just glad she didn't turn out exactly like you..."

"And what's THAT supposed to mean?!" Hitomi asked, between indignant and teasing, Hiashi chuckling.

* * *

"Sorry we can't stay the night together, Naruto." Hinata sighed as she led her boyfriend out the compound gates.

"What're you sorry for?" Naruto grinned. "Tomorrow, we'll be Genin... again, I guess... and we'll have all the fun we can handle!"

"I would love that." Hinata blushed. "It's just... It would have been nice to have finished what we started earlier..."

"Yeah." Naruto nodded. "You're right about that. Maybe before we part, we could..."

"You will do no such thing in this household." Neji Hyuuga spoke up irritably. "Such impulsive, pheromone-driven activities... so disgraceful." He grunted under his breath.

"Hey, mind your own beeswax!" Naruto snapped as both he and Hinata turned pink at his comments. "Sorry, I guess I gotta go now, Hinata." He whispered. "I love you." He planted a kiss on her mouth.

"I love you too, Naruto. Good night." Hinata gave him a kiss back before he left for his old apartment.

Tomorrow couldn't come sooner for either of them.

* * *

Meanwhile, Anko sat nude at her desk, trapped in a creative slump. She had sat down in preparation to replicate the magic that had made her previous class such a rousing success, but even the simple thought of teaching sex education again, much less writing a new curriculum for it, made her brain hurt.

Currently, she had been sitting with a blank sheet of paper in front of her for two hours, and the feeling of loneness that came with having her team broken up and taken from her, on top of being forced back into the same teaching position she had no interest or purpose in reprising kept her from putting even a single word to paper.

"Ugh... fuck it!" She groaned, crumpling the blank paper into a ball and flinging across the room in surrender. "I'm going out." She promptly dressed and headed out the door, not thinking at all about where she was going, and simply letting her feet carry her wherever they felt like carrying her.

Her wandering led her straight to Amaguriama, where she sat down and was given an order of her favorite dango and sweet bean soup almost the instant she took her seat. She gave the waitress a dull grunt of appreciation, and sighed as she lifted a kabob from her plate.

"Those are your favorites, right Anko-sensei?" Anko turned to see a young girl with silky black hair seated next to her. "I'm buying, if you want more."

"Oh, hi Emi." She opened her mouth to make conversation with her former student, but nothing pleasant or even remotely conversational came to mind to say or ask, so she simply gulped down the can of sweet bean soup. "Thanks." She glanced over at Emi, who simply sighed as she took a bite of her own dango, a depressed, dull look in her usually brilliant green eyes.

"You know..." Anko gave a forced, weak smile. "Normally, I'd say how wrong it is to be so depressed when you're eating such a sweet and tasty treat, but..." She took a slow, unhappy of her own treat. "...I ain't exactly one to talk tonight." She was half inclined to ask Emi what the problem was, but given that she was recently sent back to the Academy and taken away from some great friends, she understood completely why she seemed to be turning back into the shy, insecure bullying victim she first met last year, and knew asking would be like sticking a shuriken into her shoulder and twisting it.

"I guess I can't be too sad..." Emi said, her voice and face obviously straining to look and sound positive. "A-after all, I'll get to have class with you again, Anko-sensei!"

"_This just ain't right!" _Anko grunted, feeling a twinge of pain at Emi's words. _"None of this is right! She's supposed to be a Genin now! She's grown up, she shouldn't be stuck in a classroom again..." _She was almost tempted to cry, and started to wonder why Emi wasn't. Maybe she had already cried all she could. The redness under her eyes seemed to indicate just that.

"You deserve better, Emi." Anko sighed, pushing her plate aside. "This whole day's just been one big disaster, hasn't it? I feel like the world's going around in a circle."

"_Seeing Anko-sensei like this just feels wrong." _Emi thought, looking up into her favorite teacher's eyes. Over the past year, Anko Mitarashi had turned meek, bullied Emi into a confident young woman, and not only that, but helped almost everyone she taught the previous year to mature into reliable Shinobi.

She had always pictured Anko as a perfect woman... or rather, THE perfect woman; one who always had the answer to whatever questions her students could pose, one who could never let anything get her down, and as Emi looked into the eyes of her idol teacher, she was beginning to see that now their situations were now strangely reversed.

"_...But how?" _Emi wondered. _"There's more to Anko-sensei's melancholy than just being put back in a teaching position she doesn't want, I know it. Nikia-sensei told me how furious she was when they'd announced the new squad layouts, and I know Anko-sensei; she wouldn't have been that mad if it was a simple matter of squad lineups not being ideal. What does she know that everyone else doesn't?" _

Despite feeling bad for her teacher, Emi could help but crack a smile as an idea shot across her mind. Anko had done a lot for her student during her short teaching career, and now Emi saw an opportunity to not only help her favorite teacher out of her depressed funk, but also to give something back, to repay Anko for making her maturity possible.

"Anko-sensei?" She said, Anko, who still had her head in the clouds, jumping at the sound of her voice. "Would you like to go out on a date with me?"

Anko blinked at Emi, surprised by such a question.

"Huh?"

**To Be Continued...**

* * *

**This series will serve as a short in-between, or a Pre-Sequel if you will, for Erojutsu: Anko Mitarashi Style, the proper sequel to Sex Education: Anko Mitarashi Style. There's a fair share of plot elements I feel the need to get out of the way before beginning EJ:AMS properly, and this series feels like the proper way to give me the creative freedom I need in order to make EJ:AMS the fun romp that I and I'm sure everyone reading wants it to be.**

**Another important note is that this is a retooled version of the first two chapters of what I'd originally planned to be Erojutsu: Anko Mitarashi Style (so if anyone who read that thinks a few parts here and there feel too familiar, well... there you go :P) before understanding that this pre-sequel series was a necessary step to lead into the real sequel. **

**Don't let the use of canon teams fool you, though; I have no intention of simply following the canon Naruto storyline with only a few minor changes. That would just be boring (Seriously, I almost bored myself to death writing half of Ch17 to SE:AMS ;P), and I know anyone reading wouldn't appreciate that much. Granted, there are a few canon elements I'd like to touch upon here and there, but those aside, whether its Crossroads or EJ:AMS, this will be an original story.**

**With that being said though, the next chapter is already in progress, so look forward to that. Sorry that this retooling took longer than I'd anticipated.**

**Oh, and lastly... HAPPY NEW YEAR!**


	2. I wish you both the best of luck

"Anko-sensei?" Emi said, Anko, who still had her head in the clouds, jumping at the sound of her voice. "Would you like to go out on a date with me?"

Anko blinked at Emi, surprised by such a question.

"Huh?"

"Would you like to go out on a date with me?" Emi repeated. "I would love to spend some time with you outside of the bedroom."

Anko grinned weakly. "Sure, why not." She sighed as she got up. "I've got nothing better to do anyway. So, where do you wanna go?"

"I should be asking you, Anko-sensei." Emi chuckled. "How about... would you be interested in spending some time at the Cozy Condom? I'll pay."

"We can go halfsies." Anko offered just as Emi knocked at the front door of a rustic building topped with a bright violet sign and flickering letters spelling 'The Cozy Condom'.

"Password?" The voice of a bouncer inside asked as an eyeslot opened in the door.

"Koihime." Emi replied.

"Sorry, but that pair has retired for the night." The bouncer spoke.

"Never mind, then." Anko sighed, walking away. "I gotta admit though, Emi..." She smirked as she followed Emi toward their next destination. "I'm surprised and impressed that you've learned that there are passwords for individual dancers. Who was that password for?"

"It was for Onna and her friend Naruko." Emi answered. "I thought maybe Onna could show you... er, us, a good time, but..." She shook her head. "Never mind."

"Where to next then?" Anko asked.

"Have you ever heard of a place called the Onnasen?" Emi asked, and again, Anko was surprised with her.

"No, I can't say I have."

"Come on." Emi grinned. "I'll show you."

* * *

Naruto sighed as he walked up to the door to what used to be his apartment. Ever since he could remember, he had associated this place with loneliness, and coming back here after being separated from Hinata and barred from returning to Anko's, it became more painfully clear than ever why.

"I'm back." He said out of pure habit, sighing as he got no response. Ready to just shut himself off from the world for the night, he didn't bother to turn on any of the long-inactive lights, simply opting to head straight to his room for bed.

What he saw in the unlit room was the exact same thing he saw when he saw it the last time; a small, plain, and cluttered room. Not interested in dwelling on uncomfortable memories, he yawned and walked over to the bed, staggering as his foot snagged on some clutter that most certainly was NOT here last time Naruto had lived in this apartment.

He picked up whatever tripped him, and turned on the light. His face turned bright red as he now knew that he held a pair of bright pink panties, a small heart-shaped hole cut into the back with violet stitching outlining it.

As he turned back to the room, he was beginning to see that it was both old and new at the same time; while it still lately retained the same cluttered nature of its previous occupant, it now bore new clutter, consisting mainly of girly lingerie like that which tripped up Naruto.

"Get outta my house, you panty thief!" A young woman yelled. Naruto turned his head just in time for it to be hit painfully by a wooden club. "Uh? Oh, Li'l bro! I'm so sorry!"

"Uh?" At that moment, Naruto's head was spinning, between the splitting pain, and the lovely softness that now enveloped his head as the attacker now grabbed him and pulled him headfirst into her ample breasts.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, lil' bro!" The woman said again, kind blue eyes matching Naruto's as she sat him down on the edge of the bed. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah." Naruto acknowledged. "How've you been Naruko?"

Though not related by blood, Naruko had always referred to Naruto as her 'lil' bro', due largely in part to the staggering resemblance they shared, but also due to a strangely deep-seeded past they shared, Naruko having sacrificed the place she now called home again to Naruto when he was very young. Neither one of them had a real family, so while Naruto had initially feared Naruko and her wild libido, he had grown to think of her as something of the cool big sister he never had.

When he had graduated the ninja academy and moved in with Anko, Naruto, grateful for Naruko's love and care, had entrusted his old apartment to her once more.

"I'm really sorry for hitting you, lil' bro!" Naruko apologized. "There's been a pervert stealing my panties these last few days, and I thought you might have been him..." She raised an eyebrow at the underpants still in Naruto's hand. "...It's NOT you, is it?"

"No." Naruto shook his head, dropping the underwear. "I haven't been here once since I lived with Anko-sensei."

"Okay..." Naruko pouted. "But you know..." She faked a bashful expression as she smirked at her 'little brother.' "If you did want to have some of my panties, you could have them~!"

"What would I need them for?" Naruto blushed indignantly.

"I'm just teasing~!" Naruko giggled. "But, actually..."

It was just then that Naruto realized that the only thing his distaff look-alike wore was a towel, and that her long hair, usually done up in pigtails, was now totally unbraided. She let her towel fall with no sense of modesty, and pulled the pink panties up her legs, the heart cutout in the back provocatively exposing the opening of her butt crack.

"Well~?" She teased, sticking her butt out and wiggling it for Naruto. "Like 'em?"

"They look a lot better on you than they did on the floor." Naruto admitted awkwardly.

"Oh, li'l bro~~!" Naruko giggled, hugging Naruto's face in her boobs amusedly. "I figured you'd love them, although..." She looked down into his eyes lustfully. "You're more of a boobs girl, aren't ya?" Naruto mumbled something that was lost in Naruko's cleavage. "I could put 'em to work on you, if you wanted..."

"Er, not tonight, Naruko." Naruto spoke up, after pulling himself free. "I'm... not exactly here for fun." He recounted everything that happened this afternoon, from being assigned to a new team, to being separated from Hinata, leading up to where he now stood.

"That Hiashi guy sounds like such an ass." Naruko commented.

"He kinda is." Naruto agreed. "Anyway, I hope you don't mind, but I was hoping to stay the night here."

"Lil' bro, you know you're always welcome." Naruko smiled. "You're family, you can come back here whenever you want, as long as you want."

"Thanks, Naruko."

"You know, there are other ways to show your gratitude..." Naruko teased in a sultry tone. "Like sharing the bed...?"

"Sorry, next time." Naruto declined, though admittedly a little disappointed to do so. "I'd love to, but I'm trying to save that for tomorrow night."

"After you and Hinata pass, right?" Naruko grinned, her 'bro' nodding a confirmation. "Okay, I understand. But you owe me big time!"

"I wouldn't have it any other way." Naruto laughed as 'big sis' dove under the bed. She retrieved a sleeping bag from underneath, and unrolled it by the bedside, accompanied by a fuzzy pink pillow.

"Why do you have that?" Naruto asked curiously, indicating the sleeping bag.

"I've had it for a long time." Naruko said, with an uncomfortable note in her voice. "...Didn't always have a place to stay, y'know?" Apparently remembering something very uncomfortable, she added with a laughing tone, "Besides, I figured I might have more company than my bed can hold sooner or later!"

"You don't need to sleep on the floor." Naruto told her, feeling a strange, dark twinge from Naruko's explanation.

"You know I have to." Naruko teased. "Especially if you don't want me to tempt you before your big night with Hinata."

"Fair point." Naruto shrugged. "And, I didn't exactly have time to bring my PJs or anything, so... you're probably right." He stripped down to his underwear and made himself comfortable in his old bed. "Huh?" He sniffed his sheets curiously. "Why do I smell strawberries?"

"Alluring fragrance, isn't it?" Naruko teased. "It gets me in the mood, and I can't get to sleep without some sexual satisfaction."

"Believe me, you're not the only one." Naruto chuckled weakly. It felt difficult to just shut his eyes and go to sleep without cuddling with Hinata first.

Tomorrow could not come soon enough for him, or Hinata.

* * *

"Ahhh~!" Anko sighed pleasantly as she sank herself into the steaming hotspring. "For such a small, worn-down old place, this bathhouse is pretty awesome."

"I know." Emi grinned, sitting down next to Anko. "I used to come here all the time when I was feeling down. It's a great place to sit down and think."

"I can see why." Anko leaned back against the edge, splaying herself out in a very unladylike way, Emi becoming slightly distracted by the sight of her...

"Ah, so, sensei?" She spoke up, trying to stay on track. "Why are you so against teaching again? You seemed to have a lot of fun with me... and, er, my class, and we enjoyed having you teach us. So, why do you object so much to...?"

"It's not that I doubt I'd have fun teaching a new class." Anko shook her head. "But honestly, there're things I need to do; things that can't wait until the bell rings to take care of."

"Daimao's Den, you mean?" Emi understood. "Anko-sensei, ever since they first arose, you've always acted like they're your responsibility. Why?"

It took Anko a very long time to answer that question. For several minutes, she refused to look Emi in the eye, and tried to think of the proper answer.

"In a way... Daimao's Den IS my responsibility." She said after thinking for almost ten minutes straight.

"What do you mean?" Emi blinked, almost scared to ask.

"It's... difficult to explain."

"Try me." Anko winced as she looked at Emi. She'd never seen this usually soft-spoken girl use such a firm tone, and with her, Anko Mitarashi, her idol sensei, of all people!

"I'm sure you probably know by now, or at least pieced together the idea that Konoha warred with Daimao's Den a long time ago." Anko conceded. "Well, it wasn't quite that simple; they practically spearheaded the Third Great Shinobi War."

"How?" Emi blinked. "What nation did they side with?"

"They didn't serve any one side; only their own. To this day, nobody knows what they were trying to do, or why, or how; they only wanted to tear every nation apart. Those were terrible times, Emi. It was even to the point where some people within the ANBU began resorting to... drastic measures."

"What kind of 'drastic measures?'" Emi asked. She knew Anko had nothing but grim revelations to her questions, she knew that nothing good could come of pressuring her into telling the full story, but she needed to know.

"Did you know that the majority of casualties in the Third Shinobi War were Shinobi around your age?" Anko asked grimly.

"No." Emi told only the truth with this single word. For as much as she learned about the Great Shinobi War in the Academy, this was one fact her teachers had never taught.

"I didn't think so." Anko sighed. "It's not a fact those sheltering Academy babysitters would want its students to know. Do you know why Jounin casualties weren't as common?" Emi shook her head in an only partially truthful way; she didn't know the precise reason, but she could put the pieces together enough to know that whatever the reason, it couldn't be good.

"Is that why you were so mad about the team rearrangements?" She asked.

For what might have been the third time that night, Anko looked at Emi in utter amazement. "How did you know?" She asked.

"Nikia-sensei told me."

Knowing there was no point in denying the answer, Anko conceded; "Yes."

"Anko-sensei, I don't entirely know what's going on, but I do know that you're better than this." Emi stated. "I don't know everything about you, but I do know you well enough that if there's something you think is wrong, that you'll do anything to fix it."

Anko didn't know what Emi was talking about, whether it was the problem she had with team rearrangements, or with another year of Academy teaching, or the situation with Daimao's Den, or maybe all of them at once, but...

"You're right, Emi." Anko sighed. "One way or another, I'll make things right. I've got no fucking clue how, but sooner or later... I'll figure it out." She smiled and grabbed Emi around the shoulder, pulling her face right into her boobs. "Emi, you've grown into one hell of a woman, ya know that?"

"Am I really a woman, though?" Emi asked, and Anko knew exactly what she meant.

"Yes. You are NOT going back to learn at the Academy another fucking year. Like I said, I'll make things right one way or another, and I already know one way to put you back in your rightful place as a Genin."

"Really?" Emi blinked. "How?"

"We'll talk about that tomorrow." Anko grinned. "Until then, you wanna continue our little date?"

Emi had no idea what Anko had in store for her, but shrugged, deciding it was best to just wait and see. "Sure."

"Where do you wanna go next? My place, or yours?"

* * *

Naruto woke up the next morning to see that Naruko's sleeping was bag empty. Remembering his teacher's instruction, he simply gathered his ninja gear and walked out the door... or he would have, if something jiggly and soft didn't block his way.

"Where're you going, little bro?" Naruko asked, standing in front of the door with her hands on her hips.

"To take my test." Naruto answered.

"Not without breakfast, you don't." Naruko shook her head seriously.

"Kakashi-sensei told me not to." Naruto told her.

"A good boy always eats his breakfast, no excuses." Naruko stated stubbornly. "Now..." She pushed Naruto into the dining area, where she slammed a large metal case on the table. "Enjoy your breakfast!" Steam billowed from the case as it opened, exposing four piping hot bowls of Ichiraku Ramen, Naruto's favorite ramen in the entire village.

"For real?" Naruto blinked, looking up at Naruko, who nodded seriously.

"Eat up, little bro." She said, passing him a pair of chopsticks. "I don't care what your sensei's excuse is, you need to have your energy. Now eat up, so that you and Hinata can fuck like rabbits tonight~!"

"Thank you, big sis!" Naruto cried delightedly, hugging his distaff look-alike lovingly before chowing down on his favorite breakfast.

Now completely full, he rushed out the door, meeting up with Hinata in town on his way to the training grounds.

"Good morning, Naruto!" She called.

"Good morning, Hinata." Naruto replied delightedly. "Are you ready?"

"I am. Are you?"

"For our test, or our celebration party?" the couple shared a laugh as they strode down the sunny streets, ready to take on whatever challenges their new teachers would would have to throw at them, but not quite prepared for who they would run into on the way there...

"Anko-sensei?" Naruto and Hinata said together as they intersected at just the same place as their favorite teacher.

"Hey, guys. I wanted to wish you both luck on your tests today." Anko grinned. "But before either of you go, I have a few things I need to say. First..." She smirked as she gave Naruto a sniff. "Naruto, next time you stay at 'big sis's' place, ask her to ease off the sexy scents."

"Yeah..." Naruto muttered, painfully aware that he still smelled distinctly of strawberry fumes from Naruko's bed.

"Second," Anko continued, speaking in what her students have come to understand was her joking voice. "You two BETTER pass, or you're NEVER setting foot in my house, never mind my bed, again! Second... C'mere, you two!" She grabbed both Hinata and Naruto, and pulled them both into a big hug, pushing their heads into her huge tits. "I'm sorry that all of this happened."

"It's not your fault, sensei..." Naruto's muffled voice sounded from Anko's cleavage.

"Okay, time for some real talk." Anko sighed, slackening her grip on her students, allowing them to breath. "With your guys' new arrangements, you and your new teammates, like them or not, are going to be in for some situations that you may not be prepared for; missions some Shinobi would never get in their lives, much less as Genin, fighting fights that you'd never be prepared for..."

"Anko-sensei." Hinata spoke up, her pale eyes giving Anko a strong, determined look she'd never seen before. "We understand."

"You... do?" Anko blinked.

"You've already prepared us more than any of those hand-holding Academy teachers good." Naruto nodded. "We know that it only gets harder from here, but, for what it's worth..." He held Hinata's hand.

"We're ready!" They said together.

Anko grinned at her students proudly. "That's what I like to hear!" She laughed, turning them around in the direction of the training fields. "I know you two aren't too terribly fond of your new assignments, and I sure as hell ain't happy with 'em either. But just bear with them for a little while; I've got something special in mind for you two this year!"

"'This year?'" Hinata repeated.

"We're gonna be...?" Naruto looked to Hinata, then back to Anko.

"That's right." Anko smirked. "Bear with your new senseis for a while, and I might find use for you in the coming Academy curriculum!" She gave both her students a playful, yet encouraging, slap on the butt. "Now get out there and show 'em how the students of the Anko Mitarashi Style get it done!"

**To Be Continued...**

* * *

**A fun fact, now that this chapter's ended: At some point when working on the sequel to SE:AMS, I had considered doing a prequel to the series, as opposed to a sequel. This prequel would have focused on the background/origins of Anko, as well as many other characters like Yahiko, Onnasuki, etc. Though, doing such proved to be difficult for too many reasons to explain. **

**I say all of this because, while I don't plan on fully detailing Anko's background any time soon, I've been sitting on the idea of doing an 'Origins' series detailing the earlier lives of some of the other characters in the series; sort of a series of 'mini-prequels', if you will. **

**I plan on starting off easy with a character who's had less appearance in the series overall, with either: Hitomi, or Nikia. Please, send me a PM letting me know which of these two you'd rather know the back story of first and why, as well as other characters you'd like to delve into.**

**See you all next time!**


	3. Show 'em how it's done!

***Sigh* this has to be one of the longest and most dull chapters I've done for this series in a long time, but hey, it's finally here! FINALLY, the dumb testing chapter is out of the way! Now, I can get to the fun stuff! **

**Well anyway... enjoy!**

* * *

"Now get out there and show 'em how the students of the Anko Mitarashi Style get it done!" Anko encouraged her students with a playful slap on the butt.

"Yes, ma'am!" Naruto and Hinata said together enthusiastically as they departed to test with their new teachers, exchanging a high-five as they separated to different training grounds.

* * *

Hinata met up with her new teammates, though Kurenai was nowhere to be seen.

"You're here, good." Shino Aburame nodded. "Then we have time to strategize before the test can begin; previously, Kurenai-sensei tested our tracking abilities, having us locate and obtain an artifact we could only find with our collective efforts. Though tracking may have a hand in this new test, I recommend we work together to formulate a stratagem in the event that all assumptions of what our new test may be are false." Shino ceased his rambling when he realized that one of his teammates seemed to not be paying attention. "Kiba?"

"Uh?" Kiba, who's eyes had been magnetically attracted to Hinata's bust, snapped out of his trance for a moment to respond. "Ah, yeah! Yeah, absolutely, I agree! We should... Definitely, er... do that."

"Good to know we're in agreement." Shino nodded. "Now, I'm inclined to believe that this next test may be combat-focused, which is why I suggest..."

"Kiba, is something wrong?" Hinata blinked curiously. "You seem like you don't feel well..."

"Ah, n-no! I feel great!" Kiba blurted impulsively. "Awesome, even! Right, Akamaru?!" Akamaru yapped his readiness, though gave what one could only assume was a sigh as his owner's attention drifted back towards the 'bump' in Hinata's jacket.

"Ah?!" Hinata squeaked, crossing her arms over her chest, blushing furiously. It had only dawned on her that she forgot to do as Kurenai suggested, by wearing proper support. "I was just so nervous; my chest was hurting too much..." She thought, flustered.

"Oh, I'm sorry..." She muttered timidly. "P-please, Shino. Continue."

* * *

Naruto, meanwhile, had just made his way to the training grounds, only to find two impatient faces looking back at him.

"You're seriously later than Kakashi-sensei?!" Sakura grunted irritably. "That's just so twisted."

"Getting in our way, and we haven't even tested yet." Sasuke muttered.

"Hey, shuddup!" Naruto spoke up indignantly. "I was held up, okay?"

"Clearly..." Kakashi sniffed, smelling something distinctly sweet.

"Gross..." Sakura grumbled.

"At any rate... let's get started." Kakashi pulled two tiny bells out of his pocket and showed them clearly to his squad. By Sakura's and Sasuke's expressions, Naruto could tell that they knew already where he was going with this.

"Your objective is to take these bells from me." The masked Jounin stated. "If you can capture them by noon, you pass. If not, well..." His one exposed eye drifted.

"Is that it?!" Naruto smirked, slamming a fist into his open hand. "Okay, they're mine!" he lunged at Kakashi, who whirled him around and pushed him away so fast, Naruto didn't even see his hands move.

"Show some patience." Kakashi sighed. "I didn't say you could start yet."

* * *

Elsewhere, Kurenai had just arrived to test her own team, to find that they appeared prepared for whatever she had planned.

"Good morning." She said calmly. "Are you ready?" Hinata couldn't help but notice that Kurenai seemed like she was specifically talking to her.

"Ready!" Kiba smirked, with Akamaru giving his bark of confirmation.

"Ready." Shino nodded.

"Yes, ma'am. I am ready." Hinata took a deep, preparative breath.

"Good. Because today's test will be different from the one that Kiba and Shino have undertaken." Kurenai stated.

"Just as I'd expected." Shino thought, unfazed.

"So what're we doing this time around?" Kiba asked.

"A game of tag." Kurenai replied.

"A... um, are you serious?" Kiba blinked.

"Yes. As soon as I say 'go', all three of you will be 'it', and in order to pass, at least one of you has to tag me by noon. Are there any questions?"

"None here, let's go!" Kiba snapped, jumping at Kurenai, who vanished just as the striking boy came within arm's reach, Kiba gasping as he ran headlong into a tree.

"Did she just...?!" Hinata winced. "That wasn't a body flicker Kurenai-sensei just used. So then what...?"

Akamaru gave several muffled sounds as he sniffed around, confused as to where Kurenai could have gone. The little pup yelped as the female Jounin emerged from the grounds as though growing like a tree.

"Please show some restraint." Kurenai groaned. "I didn't say 'go' yet. Honestly, you did the exact same thing last time..."

"Sorry, guess I just can't quite control my own strength." Kiba chuckled as he and Akamaru rejoined Shino and Hinata.

"Right..." Kurenai muttered. "If you're all ready...? GO!"

Hinata, Kiba, and Shino all disappeared in a massive blur, while Kurenai simply walked into the woods at a leisurely pace. "A good Shinobi knows the importance of being able to blend into their surroundings; to attack where their enemy is most vulnerable." She paused, her bright crimson eyes scanning her surroundings. It was only because of her heightened senses as a Jounin and master of Genjutsu that she knew where all three of her opponents (four, if including Akamaru) hid, but putting aside that training, she had to admit, their concealment was largely very well done... largely.

All around her, she could hear the rustling of foliage and the snarls of beasts, which could only have originated from Kiba and his little hound. _"He's attempting an intimidation tactic."_ She observed. _"But intimidation in his case only serves to give away his position."_

Shino, meanwhile, continued his concealment, intent on keeping himself hidden as best as possible, and even Kurenai could admit that she was beginning to lose track of him. She recalled in the previous test that Shino was the one to watch out for most.

_"What of Hinata, though...?"_ She wondered. She searched for Hinata's chakra to find that the Hyuuga girl was still standing at the same post that she started out leaning against._ "What is she doing? Is she waiting for something? Or could she be too scared to pursue me...?"_

"She's distracted!" Kiba grinned, thinking his target had dropped her guard. "Now's our chance!"

Kurenai simply jerked to the side just as Kiba and Akamaru sprung at her, evading both attackers effortlessly.

"You know," She said, her mind still on the steadfast Hinata. "You won't be able to catch me alone."

"Yeah, well, funny thing." Kiba sneered as Akamaru turned into an exact copy of his owner.

* * *

"I'm not exactly alone!" Naruto smirked. "Mass Shadow Clone Jutsu!" Countless replicas of Naruto surrounded Kakashi, every one of them poised to strike.

"So this is the technique he used to beat Mizuki..." The masked Jounin thought, just as the army of one made their assault. "Sorry..." He said casually as he thwarted about ten clones. "But I'm not a pushover like Mizuki was. You're going to have to do better than that if you want to take the bells."

"How about this, then?" Naruto called, unleashing a second wave of clones on Kakashi, which were extinguished just as easily as the last one. Following that, a third, and fourth wave.

"If the first blind charge fails, then the others will be sure to fail as well." Kakashi sighed. "That's basic battlefield knowledge..." He broke off as he found Naruto to be nowhere in sight. "Well, I suppose I have to give you some credit for knowing the basics of retreat."

He stood motionless in the center of the training field for several minutes of silence, waiting for another attempt at the bells' capture that he knew would inevitably come. About 30 minutes had passed, he began to grow bored, and thought about searching for the Genin, before Naruto once again tried to get the jump on his teacher.

"GOTCHA!" He yelled, making a desperate leap for the prize, before Kakashi jerked away, batting Naruto away with an almost lazy backhand.

"A word of advice?" He said. "Save the loud shouting until AFTER you land your mark."

"Thanks for the tip, sensei." Naruto smirked. Kakashi winced as he felt someone grab him from behind.

"GOTCHA!" It was one of Naruto's Shadow Clones. The real Naruto made another grab for the prize, but what he grasped was not the pair of bells hanging from Kakashi's vest, but a green coin purse that looked like a cartoony frog.

"Eh?!" He blurted out. It was then that he realized that he just stole from the pocket of his own clone. "Where'd he go?!"

_"What a loser, falling for a simple Substitution Jutsu."_ Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"You'll have to do better than that." Naruto whirled around to find Kakashi standing behind him as though waiting on him for hours as he read a small orange book.

"Eh?" He blinked. "What're you reading for?"

"Oh?" Kakashi replied lazily. "Well, for the enticing story, of course." He showed Naruto the cover. "I recommend this book when you're old enough."

"Books aren't my thing." Naruto rolled his eyes. "I've always preferred movies."

"Really, Naruto." Kakashi sighed amusedly. "If you really want to be a good Hokage like I hear you've always wanted to be, you should read a bit more. It's good for your brain. I'm sure you've read at least one book that you like?"

Naruto pondered Kakashi's words for a moment. "Best book I've read was something called 'Not So Gentle Fist?'. I mean, I liked the movie version too, but the book's just kinda better, I think." He remembered Anko assigning him both movie and book versions of this erotic story during her year of teaching.

_"You WOULD like that one, wouldn't you?"_ Kakashi laughed. "Books are almost always better than their movie counterparts that way. If you're looking for a good read," He showed Naruto the orange book he was currently reading. "You should give the Icha Icha series a try. It might be hard for you to purchase it, all things considered, but..."

"No, it wouldn't." Naruto corrected. "I think I remember seeing that one on Anko's bookshelf once."

"Really?" Kakashi looked up from his reading material interestedly. "Sounds like she has some pretty good taste in books. Any idea if she happens to have 'The Voyage Between the Valleys?'"

_"Ugh, are they really having a conversation about smut books?"_ Sakura thought with exasperation.

_"This is just getting stupid."_ Sasuke sighed. _"Wrap it up, idiot."_

* * *

Meanwhile, Team 8's situation took something of an odd turn; what started as a game of cat (or rather dog) and mouse between Kiba and Kurenai turned into a dog-cat-and-mouse, with Kurenai pursuing Hinata, while the Genjutsu master herself was being hunted down by Kiba, with Shino still nowhere to be seen.

"At first was Hinata that concerned me..." Kurenai thought as Hinata tried desperately to hide from her. "But now I've lost all track of Shino. Did they plan this? Or could it just be... no, that CAN'T be a coincidence!"

_"They're almost in position..."_ Shino observed, waiting for the perfect instance to intercept and complete the test.

"There!" She only saw him for a fraction of a second, but Kurenai understood in that half-second her students' plan. Though she admired their coordination, she couldn't end the test here. She had just enough time to make one hand sign before Kiba pounced, grabbing the Jounin around the middle.

"You're mine!" Kiba shouted triumphantly as both he and Kurenai tumbled to the ground.

"Kiba... please let go." Kurenai's face gave her namesake justice as she turned bright crimson, as Kiba's hands were currently squeezing her breasts.

"Ah, come on. Think of this as my reward for passing!" Kiba laughed as he rubbed Kurenai's boobs some more.

"What are you talking about?!" Kurenai screamed. "Kurenai-sensei is getting away!"

"Eh?" Kiba looked down in bewilderment as the red-eyed Jounin he was groping faded into a pale-eyed Genin. "Hinata?" Kurenai had made her escape, turning Hinata into a decoy. "You've got great boobs!"

"Stop it!" Hinata flustered, forcing Kiba away a little harder than she meant to. "Did Kurenai-sensei use Genjutsu?" She asked, knowing that nobody could disappear the way Kurenai did.

"Yeah." Kiba nodded. He winced as he caught a glimpse in the corner of his eyes of something red in the trees. "She's onto Shino." He observed. "Let's move."

"Right."

"Just be on your guard." Kiba warned Hinata as he charged ahead of her. "And keep an eye out for anything... red?" His jaw dropped as he passed through a bush to see that now EVERYTHING in the woods was bright red, with crimson rose-like petals drifting in the breeze. "Oh... this can't be good." Kiba muttered as his head began to feel light.

"Kiba?" Hinata looked at her teammate with worrying eyes. Kiba looked battle ready as he likely saw a hallucination of Kurenai where Hinata stood. "RELEASE!" She shouted, making a hand seal. The rose petals were repulsed from the two Genin, and Kiba flinched as he regained awareness.

"Wha...?" He gasped. "Phew... you saved my ass, Hinata. Thanks. You okay, Akamaru?" Akamaru, who'd been dizzily batting at something invisible, shook himself awake, and yapped his approval. "Great. So, where did you learn to force off Genjutsu like that?"

"My family taught me." Hinata answered. "'A shinobi who can only see with their eyes is a blind shinobi.' I was taught to see through illusion and resist it since I was very young."

"So you can find Kurenai-sensei right now if you could? Even without you-know-what?" Kiba asked, impressed.

"No." Hinata shook her head. "This Genjutsu is so strong... I've never seen anything like it."

"Me neither." Kiba grunted. "She didn't use this kind of power when she tested us the first time."

"I'll find her..." Hinata assured him. "Byakugan!" She formed a hand seal, and the outlines of pupils formed in her eyes. With her clan's all-seeing eyes, she could see through the strange crimson forest of Kurenai's creation, and through the trees that obstructed her vision of Kurenai herself. "There!" She pointed in the direction of her target.

"Alright!" Kiba said enthusiastically, slamming a fist into his hand. "Get me to her, and I'll handle her from there!"

* * *

Tired of hiding and listening to Kakashi and Naruto talk about pornography, Sasuke slowly began to work his way behind the scarecrow-like Jounin, all the while surveying him for any openings he could exploit.

"...What fun is it to just read about something, though?" Naruto was saying. "I prefer to see boobs, not read about them."

"You have no imagination, do you?" Kakashi rolled his eye, sounding amused. "First, isn't it more fun to leave things to the imagination? I mean, sure it sucks that you can't see exactly see what Fujika's breasts look like, but isn't it better to leave their beauty to your own interpretation? Besides... I rather admire the posterior more."

_"He's blind on his left side."_ Sasuke observed as he got into position. Indeed, Kakashi seemed none the wiser that both Sasuke and Sakura were hiding to his left, as he continued his absurd conversation with Naruto.

"You're crazy! Haven't you ever felt boobs before?!" the blonde knucklehead pressed on.

"Ah, you underestimate the delights of the derriere..." Kakashi chuckled.

_"I almost think Naruto's forgotten that this is supposed to be an exam."_ Sakura rolled her eyes, repressing an exasperated sigh that might give away her position.

"...You know that breasts exist to nourish babies, correct?" Kakashi taunted. "Only a child would faun so much over such things. I suppose only an adult can appreciate the delights of a good ass."

"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?!" Naruto snapped.

"Okay, NOW!" Sasuke whipped out several shuriken and kunai, and threw them Kakashi's way. Unfortunately, the Jounin's reaction was not what he expected; Kakashi jumped straight up, resulting in his thrown weapons barely missing Naruto.

"The hell was that for, Sasuke!?" He shouted.

Sasuke ignored him as he jumped into the fray and engaged Kakashi in straight hand-to-hand combat.

"Taijutsu: The physical art." Kakashi said as he lazily batted off several of Sasuke's punches and kicks with a single hand, while the other hand held the orange book that occupied the majority of his attention.

Naruto marveled at Sasuke's taijutsu skill for a moment, before realizing it dawned on him,

"I gotta get a bell first!" He rushed in too, and Kakashi's eye widened as he was forced to put away his book to stave off Naruto's incoming blow.

_"Are they really...?!"_ But his split-second of admiration was regrettably cut off as one misplaced swing resulted in annoyed, pained shouts from both Genin upstarts.

"Stop getting in my way!" Naruto yelled.

"Only when you stop being such a wannabe!" Sasuke retorted.

"I don't know what I was expecting." Kakashi groaned. "So... interfere? Or let them settle their own dispute?" Then his eye fell on the wooded area around him. "We seem to be one short... Eh, these two can settle their own differences." He slipped into the woods undetected by any of the Genin in search of Sakura, who was currently sitting in hiding; not waiting for the right moment to strike, but rather, hidden in a tree while racking her brain for ideas.

_"Ino was here with me last time."_ She thought helplessly. _"I don't know how we got Sasuke to cooperate, but we managed to work together to take Kakashi-sensei's bells; Sasuke engaged him to divert his attention, while Ino used her Mind Transfer Jutsu to immobilize him, leaving it up to me to claim the bells."_

She remembered Ino making a very noble sacrifice, letting both Sasuke and Sakura take a bell each, letting herself fail for her girlfriend's sake. Because of this sacrifice, though, all three passed. But now, things looked hopeless, with nobody looking to even try to help the other.

"If only Ino were here now..." She sighed.

"Sakura!" A familiar voice called. Sakura looked straight down in delight to see...

"Ino? What are you doing here?" Though happy to see her at first, Sakura's heart plummeted with terror as she laid eyes on a wounded, bloodied Ino. "Wh...? What the hell did he do to you, Ino!?" She screamed loudly before fainting, and falling out of the tree.

"Genjutsu: The Illusionary art. Sorry that I overdid it this time." Kakashi muttered sheepishly, catching Sakura and setting her down softly on the ground. "But, you should learn to see through these things.

"I did." Kakashi gasped as Sakura jumped to her feet and made a snatch for the bells. Her fingers just touched one of them before the Jounin retracted far enough that they were out of reach. "...Well, this time, anyway." Sakura admitted.

"It's good that you're learning, I suppose." Kakashi muttered. "Well, let me see what more you're capable of..." He reached to pull out his book, only to find his pouch strangely more empty than he remembered. "Hm?" He pulled off the pouch and searched it, only to confirm that his book was missing. "No, that can't be right...!" He shook his head, feverishly searching his pack a second time over.

Though initially off-put and bewildered by Kakashi's change in character, it then dawned on Sakura that now was a perfect opportunity for her to claim her prize. "Nicely done, Naruto!" She thought as she quietly dove in to make her strike. However, her action did not go unnoticed by Kakashi, who reached up for his headband, and vanished in a strange flash of bright red light. Sakura hit the ground, dazed and confused at the red light and her teacher's disappearance.

_"What the hell just happened?!"_ Her inner voice raged. _"He was there! He was RIGHT! THERE! Our plan was perfect, we had him right in our grasp, and he just... disappeared! How did he even...!?"_

* * *

Although she could see through it easily, Hinata was still in awe about the tremendous, area-wide Genjutsu that Kurenai had put up to throw off her students. Without her Byakugan, she knew that she would be completely lost like Kiba was, despite what she told him about being able to see past illusions without her infamous eyes.

Though the path that Hinata led was supposed to lead to Kurenai and Shino, only the latter could be found in the clearing they came upon, who appeared to have been caught in the midst of combat not long before the arrival of his other teammates.

"You two seem to have made good friends while we were split up." Shino muttered.

"You're jealous, aren't you?" Kiba laughed tauntingly.

"Hardly." Shino backed away.

"Of course." Kiba rolled his eyes. "Look, if we're going to pass this, we need to take the fight to Kurenai-sensei; we are 'it' after all."

"That's exactly what Kurenai-sensei wants; she went after me to provoke us to make the first move." Shino observed. "She's a Genjutsu master, it's in her fighting instinct to set up a trap and lead her opponents into it."

"Then what do we do?" Hinata asked.

"We spring the trap." Kiba smirked, Akamaru barking his agreement. "We got a teammate who can see through these stupid illusions, so Kurenai wouldn't stand a chance against the four of us!"

"Kiba, that's not how Genjutsu..." Hinata shook her head.

"Just keep your head down, Hinata." said Kiba. "I've got you covered!"

"I suppose..." Shino sighed. "We could attempt a three-on-one strike. Hopefully, we won't lose too much time getting you to realize we need a better strategy."

"Okay, so where is she now then?" asked Kiba, ignoring the possible jab at his intelligence.

"I'm trying to... to find her..." Hinata's ears were overloaded by a strange, high-pitched wailing sound, and she had to strain her eyes to see clearly through the Genjutsu. Her eyes hurting her too much, she deactivated her Doujutsu, and shook her head vigorously in hopes of shaking off whatever Kurenai did to her. "I can't..." She muttered. "I'm sorry, she's... she's blocking me out!"

"Huh? What do you mean, 'blocking you out?'" Kiba held her shoulders supportingly.

"R-Release!" Hinata attempted to release the Genjutsu again, but only found herself becoming more light-headed.

Hinata wasn't the only one being influenced by whatever strange Genjutsu Kurenai had cast; Akamaru was grumbling to himself, once again batting at the air aimlessly, one paw curled over his face, as though trying to block out a particularly foul smell. Evidently, this was exactly what he was trying to do, because Kiba too clutched at his nose as some sort of indescribably offensive odor pierced his nose like a finely-sharpened shuriken.

"Wha-the faaauck is that!?" Kiba screamed.

"Hinata tried to tell you before that Genjutsu isn't simply a visual illusion." Shino stated. "The Illusionary art can manipulate any and all of the five senses, some techniques, as this one clearly is, can even distort any and all of the senses at once. Clearly, Kurenai-sensei's aim is to block off the senses that we rely upon most: Hinata, despite being able to see through the Genjutsu with Byakugan, is likely having her eyesight overloaded, and her second most relied sense, hearing, blocked off. And clearly, she's fully intent on stripping you of your heightened olfactory senses."

"Stripping us of...?" Hinata could barely make out Shino's speech, but these last words stood out to her, and struck a cord in her mind. "I can..." She breathed, trying to regain her balance. "I know how... the Genjutsu... we can break it...!"

* * *

"Aargh!" Naruto growled. "Let me out! I'm sorry I stole your pervy book! Just let me go!"

Angered that Naruto stole his favorite book, Kakashi had captured the spiky-haired knucklehead and tied him very securely to one of the four wooden posts in the center of the training grounds.

"It goes without saying, I'm pissed with you for making me lose my place..." Kakashi grumbled, rifling through his book to look for the page he last read. "But I don't know whether to be proud that you could make such a steal, or irritated that THIS of all things was what you decided to snatch from me." He found a likely place in the book and produced a very suggestive bookmark featuring a famous black-haired actress, with kanji reading 'Princess Gale' conveniently censoring her.

"Don't give me that!" Naruto retorted. "I know you wouldn't have let me grab those things, even if I could!"

"No, I wouldn't have..." Kakashi muttered. "I assumed you were trying to take a weapon from me, and failed." He put his book away. "Clearly, I assumed very wrong. You were a pick-pocket when you were a little kid, weren't you?"

"It was either that, or go hungry." Naruto said defiantly.

"Speaking of which, I happened to notice that you're not." Kakashi observed. "From what I've heard, your growling stomach can be heard a mile away, yet it's probably the only part of you that's stayed quiet this entire time. Oh, speaking of which..." He turned and kicked away two incoming shadow clones of Naruto's. "I don't know why you smell of strawberry perfume, but it's never good to come to battle with such a strong scent on you. As if you don't stand out enough as it is..."

Naruto turned slightly pink. Why did he not think to wash off Naruko's nighttime fragrance?!

"Honestly, I was expecting such a scent to come from Sakura." Kakashi teased. "Is that Anko's scent, by any chance?"

"Shut up!" Naruto snapped, starting to get annoyed with Kakashi's attitude. "You're not her type, anyway. Plus, from what I heard, she hates white-haired guys!"

"I've heard she didn't particularly like Mizuki..." Kakashi recalled. "...Can't say I blame her, all things considered. But first of all, my hair is grey, and not white."

"Whatever." Naruto rolled his eyes.

"Second, you mistake my intentions; I was merely curious why a kid like you has such a distinctly sweet scent. It must have been from some girl... That shy one, Hinata, perhaps?"

"Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!" Kakashi jumped out of the way as a tremendous jet of fire blew his way, missing Naruto by mere inches.

"Hey! I'm not some animal on a campfire, you know!" He yelled irritably at Sasuke, who was already preparing to use another Fire Jutsu, with Sakura at the ready by his side.

She threw two hands full of shuriken, just as Sasuke cast his next jutsu: "Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!" He shot several small fireballs from his mouth, which Kakashi had little trouble dodging, until the flames subsided, and from the ashes, Sakura's shuriken now flew his way. Now, she, Sasuke, and yet another Naruto Shadow Clone charged at a distracted Kakashi, ready to make a grab for their target.

"Clone Jutsu!" All three said together, Sakura and Sasuke each producing four illusionary copies, while Naruto remained the only one currently facing Kakashi, who seemed unaffected by the incoming assault.

"You're not fooling me with yet another one of your pathetic Clone strikes, Naruto." He scoffed, batting off the Naruto shadow clone, only for his hand to faze right through him. "What?!" He swiped at who he thought to be the real Sakura and Sasuke, but his attacks only passed through them as well. Then, understanding hit him like a lightning bolt:

"They're just a diversion!" Before he even had time to make his next move however, all but one of the false Genin faded, and the one remaining had transformed in a burst of smoke, emerging in the form of a very well-endowed, naked blonde woman, whose breasts hugged Kakashi's masked face, immobilizing him just long enough for the real Sakura and Sasuke to make a grab for the bells... and they succeeded!

"Don't talk bad about boobs again!" 'Naruko' laughed triumphantly, before disappearing in another cloud of smoke. Kakashi turned around awkwardly to face his three students, two of which smiled as they showed him the bells they took.

"You pass." He conceded. "Congratulations, you've demonstrated exemplary teamwork." His eye flitted from one Genin to another. "But what I'm not sure about is how. You had to have planned that last attack in detail..."

"Remember near the beginning, when Naruto's fourth blind charge failed, and it took half an hour for him to try again?" Sakura pointed out. "That was when we pulled him aside and came up with a plan."

"And by 'pulled aside,' she means we had to drag him away from his constant waste of energy, and drill some sense into his brain." Sasuke interjected.

"I can pound some sense into yours if you'd like!" Naruto flailed.

"So that little scuffle between you and Sasuke was just a ruse, then?" Kakashi asked.

"Er..." Naruto muttered sheepishly.

"No." Sasuke grunted. "That was just Naruto being an idiot and messing up the plan."

"Excuse me?!" Naruto snapped, as he wrestled against his bindings. "Who was it that almost skewered me!? I'd pay you back for that if I weren't...!"

"At any rate," Kakashi spoke over him. "Which was your Plan B? Sakura's fake fainting spell? Or Naruto's boob hug attack?"

"Did he REALLY just give that dirty move a name?" Sakura groaned, knowing Naruto would be inspired to turn it into a real move now.

"The fakeout was our Plan B." Sasuke replied. "And our successful strike was Plan C." He began to stare down Kakashi very seriously. "But what I can't figure out was how you escaped Sakura's attack? That flash of red you used to escape: What jutsu was that?"

"A-ah, you saw that, did you?" Kakashi said in a would-be-casual tone. "Well... I may teach you one of these days, but here's what I don't understand." He gave Naruto a light punch on the arm.

"Hey!" He yelled. "What?!"

"Why didn't you plant a clone to be tied to the post?" Kakashi asked. "Why the real Naruto?"

"Because we knew you were expecting a clone to be used as the decoy." Sakura explained. "That's why Naruto used his real self as bait."

Kakashi grinned under his mask. He hardly expected this kind of careful and strategic planning from three individuals who despised each other so much. "So, the strawberry perfume?" He turned back to Naruto. "That was in preparation for your 'Plan C', wasn't it?"

"Uh... Yeah, that was it." Naruto lied.

"Well... it certainly worked either way." Kakashi said under his breath. "At any rate, you three have passed the test, and are now official members of Team 7. Meet back here in three days to discuss our first mission."

Naruto grinned, basking in his moment of victory, before noticing that everyone else was walking away... and he was still tied to the post. "HEY! GET BACK HERE!" He screamed. "You forgot to UNTIE ME!"

* * *

Under normal circumstances, Kakashi would have taken his free time to go find a quiet place to read, but as he exited the training grounds, his attention was grabbed by a pat on the butt, which told him that somebody had other plans.

"Hello again, Anko." He said casually without breaking his stride. "I think you'll be pleased to hear that Naruto passed my test perfectly, as you expected."

"You expected differently?" Anko teased. "He'll overcome anything you could throw at him if he has the right incentive."

"I take it that you've given him such 'incentive?'" Kakashi teased back.

"Maybe. Wanna talk about it over lunch?"

Though she had already wolfed down half the food she ordered the instant she sat down at Amaguirama, Anko's attention was drawn to Kakashi as he eyed the single dango he'd ordered. He had to pull down that silly mask to eat sooner or later...

"You know Anko..." He said. "You might end up getting quite fat eating so much sweets."

"Hah, what're the odds of that happening?" Anko laughed. "You know what they say: Sex is the best exercise! Anyway, eat up! Those kids must've given you quite a hassle today. You could use the treat."

"Well, you're right about that much." Kakashi replied. "There was one point where they actually forced me to use my full strength. In a Genin examination, no less. You can count on one finger how many times that's happened during my Jounin career."

"Wait... you really used... that?" Anko whipped around to face Kakashi. She pointed to the eye he had covered by his headband. "They REALLY made you use... THAT?"

"Very briefly," Kakashi amended. "But yes. And it was Sakura, of all people, too. Last one I'd expect to push me that far."

"Really now?" Anko marveled. "And what about the boys?"

"Sasuke... well, he was skilled in all the ways one would expect, not really anything new to say from our last test." said Kakashi. "And Naruto, he proved to be full of surprises." He leaned closer to Anko and sniffed her curiously.

"What're you doing?" She edged back slightly.

"Naruto had a rather... girlish scent on him today. I figured he would have gotten it off of you." Kakashi mused.

"No, he was like that when I met up with him this morning."

"I was expecting it to screw him over," Kakashi recounted. "Normally, a ninja with a stand-out scent is a dead ninja, but he used what would have been a weakness to pull a rather..." Even his mask couldn't hide his blush. "...Interesting trick that ultimately won the day."

"I figured he would." Anko smirked. "Just like I'd expect from him!" She laughed as she took a big swig of tea.

"Indeed?" Kakashi said awkwardly. "Sometimes I wonder just what you've taught your students after your teaching career."

"Not as much as I'd have liked." Anko admitted. "Unfortunately, nothing useful outside of the bedroom..."

"I understand that you have some good taste in erotic literature." said Kakashi. "Naruto tells me you've got the Icha Icha series on your shelves."

"Oh, did he now?" Anko laughed. "I didn't think he was into reading."

"I didn't think so either, but he seemed to recognize it."

"Well, since you've asked..." Anko grinned. "Yeah, I got the series prequel, Icha Icha Origins, for a little bedtime reading, but I don't think I ever got the one that goes after that... Paradise, right?"

"Wanna borrow mine?" Kakashi offered. He reached into his pouch, but for the second time that day, found it devoid of one small orange book. "What?! That son of a...!"

* * *

"...Bitch!" Kiba growled as he was knocked onto his back, punching the ground in frustration. Kurenai had once again found her students, and seemed to be bending the entire forest around them to her will, as a nearby tree had seemingly sprung to life, and had dealt Kiba a serious thrashing.

"Whatever this plan of yours is, Hinata..." Shino said as he summoned an insect swarm to be his vanguard. "...You'd better do it quickly."

"Keep her safe...!" Kiba grunted, getting back to his feet. "Whatever it is, I'll do it. Just keep Hinata from being harmed..."

"Kiba, stop." Hinata still felt like her head was splitting, between the strain on her eyes, and the ringing in her ears, but she tried as best she could to tough it out. "You don't have to protect me all the time. I... I might have been weak, or even frail, when we were in the Academy, but I've grown since then. I can hold my own."

Kiba looked at her incredulously. He'd never heard her talk like that before, and though he still felt the instinct to shelter her, he somehow believed that she could protect herself as she claimed. "What do we need to do?" He asked.

"Can you both release Genjutsu?" Hinata asked.

"That seems a futile effort." Shino pointed out.

"Yeah, remember? It only released a small portion when you did it, and not for very long..." Kiba recalled.

"We don't need to release all of it, or even for more than a minute." Hinata stated. "Just... please, trust me."

Kiba and Shino looked to each other, as if hoping to understand what on earth Hinata could be planning, but, with no better plan, they conceded.

"What's your plan, then?" Shino asked.

"We all use release at the same time." Hinata stated, taking off her jacket. "If we do it just right, it should leave Kurenai-sensei vulnerable just long enough to give us the advantage we need."

"Perfect..." Shino understood, eyeing the insects that ran down his sleeve.

"Yeah...!" Kiba grinned, he and Akamaru understanding themselves. "We break her momentum, and then we take the fight to her."

All three Genin joined in a circle, and together cast: "RELEASE!"

"Impressive..." Kurenai admired, as her control over the environment faded. "I didn't expect them to break it this soon."

"Unbelievable..." Shino said as the forest around them slowly reverted back to its normal green self. "No way we could have broken the entire Genjutsu..."

"Who cares what's scientifically possible?! We did it!" Kiba laughed, glad to be rid of the horrid smell that immobilized him. "Kurenai-sensei's vulnerable! Whatever we're gonna do, let's just fucking do it!"

"...right." Shino agreed. Though still suspicious, he followed Hinata and Kiba, where they at last made contact with Kurenai.

"You three got through the Crimson Forest better than I'd expected." She marvelled. "Only a team of Shinobi well in-sync with each other could break that Genjutsu. I would be glad to have all three of you as part of Team Kurenai, however... we're playing tag, not hide-and-seek, and you three are still 'it.'"

"Then consider yourself tagged." Kiba smirked.

"Just because the Crimson Forest is gone, don't assume that I'm completely helpless." Kurenai smirked. "Also..." She gave an eerie laugh as she faded away like mist. "You only have five minutes remaining!"

Kiba panicked and lunged at Kurenai, Akamaru taking on the form of his owner. Both Kibas hurried after the fading Kurenai, desperate to pass before time was up. Shino spread out several swarms of bugs in an effort to pinpoint wherever Kurenai had vanished too, and Hinata sighed, very red in the face as she realized that there was only one thing left that could salvage this mission.

She gripped the hem of her shirt with both hands, and lifted it straight up into the air, her large breasts bouncing as they were released. Having seen such an embarrassing display, Kiba dropped to the ground with a severe nosebleed, and Kurenai turned as crimson as her namesake, returning to her normal, solid form as her concentration on her Genjutsu broke.

Now, between Shino's insect swarms, and Kiba and Akamaru's advances, Kurenai was cornered.

"Nice!" Kiba laughed.

"An unorthodox way to break a Genjutsu, but it appears effective." Shino remarked. "Kiba, you and Akamaru keep her surrounded. Hinata, she's all yours."

Kurenai took to the trees, but just as she landed on a branch, Hinata had caught up to her and her hand reached out to tag Kurenai, only to catch onto her wrappings, which snagged on the branch, and unraveled as she fell from the tree, unbalanced. Hinata dove after her, and wrapped both hands around Kurenai's boobs as they hit the ground.

For a moment, everything was silent as the gravity of the situation slowly came to Hinata and Kurenai.

"Woo-hooooooo!" Kiba yelled triumphantly. "Way to go, Hinata!"

"Yes, well done." Shino grinned, turning awkwardly away from the suggestive scene laid out before him.

"I'm very impressed, but..." Kurenai blushed brightly as she sat up. "Er, Hinata? You've passed. You... can let go now."

Hinata, having relished her victory, had forgotten that she was still gripping her sensei's boobs, and retracted promptly. "Ah! S-sorry, Kurenai-sensei!"

"The three of you have demonstrated incredible teamwork in the face of the unknown." Kurenai commended her students as she stood, covering herself up as she gathered her shed clothes "And for that, I gladly welcome all three of you as members of Squad 8."

"Yahoo!" Kiba cheered. "And if we get treats like this every day, you'll have me rolling over in no time!"

"Sorry..." Hinata apologized again.

Kurenai turned away as she redressed herself, talking over her shoulder. "I suppose I also have to commend you for discovering your enemy's weaknesses, as well as acutely exploiting said weaknesses." She went bright crimson in the face at her own words; she really was proud of her students, but she wished that such skills weren't demonstrated in such an embarrassing way.

Once she had finished robing herself up, she turned to face her squad confidently. "All three of you have become great Shinobi, and I am proud to train and fight alongside each and every one of you. I want you all to report back here in two days for your first official mission; until then, you're all free to go."

Hinata as as willing as the others to leave, but she felt like Kurenai had something more to say to her before she could go, so she stayed behind. When they were out of Kiba's heightened earshot, Kurenai grinned at her new student.

"I never would have taken you to be the kind to do the kind of tactics you've pulled today, Hinata." She said, embarrassed but still using a praising tone.

"M-hm..." Hinata turned as red as Kurenai. "I didn't mean to pull off your clothes or any of that, but..."

"Not that." Kurenai corrected. "Though, that too was very surprising to me. No, I meant that I'm surprised at how you were able to take charge the way you did. I honestly wasn't expecting you to spearhead your team's entire victory in this test. I've read your entire record on your Academic progress, and even taking the previous year into account, the abilities you've shown me today are nothing short of impressive."

"Thank you, Kurenai-sensei." Hinata glowed at her new sensei's praise. "I will continue to do my best."

"I'm glad to hear." Kurenai smiled. "Although..." She blushed again. "Next time we train though, please try not to use such... revealing tactics."

"I wasn't exactly fond of using those tactics either..." Hinata admitted coyly. "But next time, I'll try to keep all of our clothes on as much as possible." She shared a laugh with her sensei.

"Alright, I suppose that will have to do." Kurenai chuckled. "Enjoy the next three days, and come back here to discuss our first official mission. Oh, and... Hinata?"

"Yes, sensei?"

Kurenai's face did her namesake justice as she said, "I wanted to ask you something about... relationships."

"Uh...?" Hinata blinked. "Why are you asking me?"

"Well... I understand that you're in a loving relationship." Now it was Hinata's turn to turn bright crimson; the only reason Kurenai knew that was because she walked in on her and Naruto as they made love yesterday. "So, I wondered, maybe you could help me out."

"A-alright, but if you want to know THAT kind of information, I think maybe you should ask Anko-sensei..." said Hinata, knowing all too well what Anko had to teach.

"N-no no no no! Not TH-THAT kind of relationship advice!" Kurenai flustered. "We haven't even gone on a date before. So... how do I ask him out? And, where should we go?"

"Just ask him." Hinata said simply. "That's what Naruto did for our first date, as for where..." She paused, stuck on what advice to give here. "...Well, you can decide." She improvised.

"Where did you go on your boyfriend's first date?" Kurenai asked interestedly. Hinata froze up here, not sure what to say; She and Naruto had only gone out a few times, and their first date was to a strip club, which they had secretly been led to by Anko. Then again, she began to see a bit of herself in Kurenai, especially given how timid she seemed around anything sexual. Besides, if a first date at the Cozy Condom turned out great for two academy kids, why wouldn't it be the same for two adults.

"Erm... it was a place called the Cozy Condom." Hinata answered at last. "But, you'll need a password to get in; I think this week's was... Koihime?"

"Oh... the... 'Cozy Condom', huh?" Kurenai said awkwardly. "That... that sounds like an awfully bold place for a first date."

"Well... it was Anko-sensei who brought us..." Hinata shrugged.

"Ah... I uh... I see..." Kurenai muttered. "Well... thank you for your help, Hinata..." Having more awkward conversation than she could take, she disappeared from the training field, leaving Hinata behind, grinning as she left to go meet up with her boyfriend and favorite teacher again.

"You'll be fine, Kurenai-sensei." She smiled as she returned to the village.

"Sending someone else on a date to the Cozy Condom, eh?" Anko smirked as she popped out from the woods.

"...How long were you hiding there?" Hinata asked.

"I just got here in time to hear your dating recommendation." Anko teased. "Good choice, by the way!"

"I didn't mean to send her there..." Hinata said sheepishly.

"She'll live." Anko assured her. "Anyway, I've got some... other matters to attend to today..." She gave a very familiar smirk Hinata recognized right away. "So, you go on ahead and have your celebration without me" Hinata nodded happily. "Oh, and congratulations on your test!" She gave Hinata a playful smack on the ass.

"Thank you, Anko-sensei!" Hinata smiled. "See you later!"

"I'm gonna meet up with Naruto next, which means you'll get back a lot sooner than him. So, make sure you're good and ready for him, 'kay?" Anko winked flirtatiously.

"O-of course!" Hinata nodded.

* * *

"Someone freakin' untie me!" Naruto screamed as he flailed around, still tied to the post on the training grounds. He sighed, knowing there was probably nobody around to hear him.

Normally, he could have either reached for a kunai to cut himself loose, or make a Shadow Clone to do so, but Kakashi apparently knew a thing or two about knot-tying; under the layer of rope binding Naruto to the wooden post, he had also constricted his hands, making it impossible for him to move them at all from their current position.

"You called?" Naruto would have jumped if he weren't bound so tightly. He looked straight up at the source of the voice, to find none other than Anko Mitarashi standing on top of the post looking down at him. "Sup?" She chuckled playfully.

"Hey, Anko-sensei!" Naruto grinned. "Mind cutting me loose?"

"I could..." Anko teased. "Or... I could have some fun with you while you still can't do anything about..." She peered down to find that everything down to Naruto's legs was tightly bound, denying her sexual fun. "Son of a bitch." She sighed. "Never mind." She took out a kunai and dropped it down the edge of the rope, freeing Naruto from the post.

"Thanks." Naruto grinned as she then worked on the knots around his wrists. Looking up though, he saw that Anko looked a bit disappointed. "You know, you could still..."

"Nah, it wouldn't be the same." Anko sighed. "I gotta say, though... Kakashi really knows his knots." She smirked deviously as she cut Naruto's hands free. "Wonder if he could show me some of these..."

"I didn't think he was your type?" Naruto commented.

"You kiddin?!" Anko laughed. "Between the knots and his taste in literature, he'd probably make Yahiko jealous..." She relished the idea as she entertained herself with an image of Kakashi knotting her up and suspending her from the ceiling, while he and Yahiko fucked her brains out together.

"Anyway," She spoke up, cutting off her fantasy. "I passed by Hinata on my way here, and she's passed her test, which means she's probably halfway back to our apartment by now. So, you two go ahead and start your little celebration party without me. I know you want to."

"What about you, sensei?" Naruto asked. It wasn't exactly like Anko to pass on a sexual victory celebration.

"I got some... other matters to attend to first." Anko smirked. Now Naruto understood. He knew that smirk of Anko's anywhere; the sign that she had her own erotic endeavors in mind. "But don't worry, I'll catch up with you two soon enough."

"Sounds like a party to me." Naruto laughed. "See you later, then!"

"You bet." Anko grinned. "And hey!" She gave Naruto a playful smack on the ass. "Great job today!"

**To Be Continued...**

* * *

**WOW! This chapter was a downright pain and a half to get through! And having to tackle both Naruto's AND Hinata's tests together made it all the more difficult (and dull). But now, I can FINALLY get to the fun stuff you all've been waiting for, like giving the canon the middle finger, preparations for Anko's new class, fanservice, sexy scenes, Tenten...**

**Anyways, a common question I've gotten ever since the start of the series: "will there, at any point, be threesomes between Team 7 and/or 8?" To which I will answer: most likely, no. As of now, HELL no, but later on down the road, when/if these character end up forming a close enough bond, then maybe, but that would be many chapters from now, and I don't quite have THAT level of foresight.  
**

**Another question I've gotten pretty often, is asking what are my thoughts on Anko's fatness in the epilogue. Honestly? I'm alright with it. Hear me out, now! For one, it was just one panel of one chapter. For another, it's fair to say that Anko has been through quite an ordeal throughout the Pt2 manga, being incapacitated, and used to resurrect the master she despises so much, right?**

**So, skip ahead some unspecified number of years later, and it's clear she's had a good life; she's free of the bonds that tie her to Orochimaru, she's enjoyed all the sweets she wants, and she even has a young friend to share those sweets with. So no, I'm not mad about her appearance in the epilogue at all (I mean hey! It could have been worse! She could have been straight-up killed off! (There were several points I thought she WOULD have been)).  
**

**Lastly, because I know a lot of people are going to be asking, while Anko and Kakashi won't have a serious relationship, yes, there will be plenty of interactions between them ;P  
**

**Well, see you all next time!**


	4. There's that smile!

**You know, it's funny. I've been itching to get to this part of the series where I'm free to do what I want with the story, but... there's so much I wanted to do after the testing chapter, I've been racking my brain to figure out where to start. Then, I decided: Emi. I've been needing to touch on quite a few things involving Emi, so I figured the sensible thing to do now was to devote a chapter to her, so that I could address those things I felt the need to touch on.**

**...And now that this chapter is done, I have zero idea what's next. Oh well...**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Emi Shiawase yawned as she awoke late into the morning. She knew, given life as a ninja, that such a thing was a very bad habit, but between lack of missions and training, and the sweltering heat, she had difficulty falling asleep at a reasonable time last night. For what should have been a temperate April morning, it felt more like mid-July, Emi wiping a fine coat of sweat from her forehead as she threw back the covers, revealing a small, underdeveloped body covered only by a pair of pink panties, her pajamas strewn across the floor.

"Emi?" She winced as her mother stepped into her room, yanking the blanket back over herself. "Don't be silly, Emi. I've seen you like that a dozen times!" She laughed, Emi still red-faced, though mostly from the heat than embarrassment. She let the blanket back down, and got up to get dressed. "Actually, I need you to model for me real quick." Her mother spoke up.

Emi's mother, from whom she was named, made a living as a tailor, often contracted by shinobi for personalized uniforms and combat apparel. Because of this, she sometimes called upon her daughter to fit a few of her projects.

"So, who is this being made for?" Emi asked as she stood with her arms spread out.

"Her name's Tenten, I believe. She's a Genin with a rather unique sense of style..." Her mother said interestedly. She pulled a very different-looking sleeveless pink shirt with three frog-style fasteners off of her sewing machine, and showed it to her daughter. "Interesting, isn't it?"

"It is..." Emi remarked as it was slid on down her arms. "That style of clothing isn't native to the Land of Fire, is it?"

"I'm not very familiar with it myself." Her mother shrugged. "She calls it 'Qipao', a style commonly worn where she comes from. She wanted something light that would provide as much mobility as possible in this style." She fastened the shirt up, and as she examined its fit from several angles, Emi couldn't help but take in how the shirt both fit and feel on her. Clearly, whoever commissioned this was a bit taller, as it was somewhat loose on her body, and the hem extended just past her hips. The upper chest in particular sagged, Emi feeling weary at her own almost completely flat chest.

"Okay, that looks about accurate to her measurements..." Her mother said, returning Emi to the present. "Try moving your arms a bit, see how it feels."

Emi mirrored the motions of throwing kunai and a few Taijutsu movements that she had learned at the Academy. She marveled at how light the shirt felt, and how free her arms were. "It's great." She grinned. "I think anyone could fight really comfortably in this."

"Thank you, Emi." Her mother smiled, nodding as she unfastened the shirt. "By the way, this fitting wasn't the only reason I called you out here." She handed her daughter a note. "Your favorite teacher left this for you."

"What for?" Emi blinked as she took off the Qipao shirt.

"It seemed fairly personal, so I didn't read it."

Emi unfolded the note, and instantly recognized the untidy handwriting of Anko Mitarashi:

_Hey, Emi~!_

_First off, sorry to just leave you a note; I wanted to talk to you personally, but I've got a fairly busy day ahead of me today._

_Anyways, I'm sure you're itching to know how you can retain your Genin status, and the answer is simple: All you need is a Jounin to take you in. See, not everyone falls under the same 3-man cells; You see, during their early years, some Genin are given tutelage by other mentors besides their original Jounin squad leader, and sometimes, another mentor can overtake the squad leader's tutelage entirely, and the Genin can be left permanently in the new mentor's care._

_A few Genin, such as myself, are given a sensei separate from a 3-man team right out of the gate, and I have an ideal teacher for you to meet today. Sorry, but no, it's not me. As much as I would love to train one of my favorite pupils, I'm only a Tokubetsu Jounin; essentially, Jounin in name only. I might have taught Naruto and Hinata for a little while, but I got in serious shit for that; until I'm officially promoted to a full Jounin, it ain't happening again._

_But, back to you: Like I said, I've found you an ideal teacher, who I would like for you to meet today around noon. She'll be visiting Onna's place around that time, so I hope you won't be sleeping in too long! :P_

_I'll be busy for most of today, but I'll be sure to pay you a visit this evening to talk about your new teaching arrangement... and if you're lucky, maybe a few other things too~!_

_See you then!_

_~Anko_

Accompanying the note was an address to the place where she wanted Emi to meet her new teacher.

"I'll see you later, mom." Emi called with a smile on her face as she hurried to her room to get dressed. She had been in total despair when she had been given the news she would be sent back to the Academy, so to find that she had a new teacher now was nothing short of exciting for her; she was so excited, she almost wanted forgo putting clothes on and simply hurrying across the village in her underwear to meet her teacher.

"What'd your teacher's love letter say?" Her mother teased.

"Mom, it wasn't a love letter!" Emi pouted as she pulled her sandals on. "Anyway, she said that there's a Jounin sensei that she wants me to meet."

"So my little girl's going to be a fully-fledged Kunoichi after all?" Her mother grinned. "I'm so glad to hear that, Emi. Good luck!"

* * *

It didn't take Emi long to find the address Anko had provided; after all, this was hardly the first time she had been to this place.

"Why Onna's place?" She wondered as she stepped inside the apartment, blushing as she caught a glimpse of a basket by the door with a set of clothes folded up inside. "Somebody's already here..." She observed.

Onnasuki, known by her friends as 'Onna', was a proud lesbian who Emi had befriended during her last year at the Academy. As both a lesbian and nudist, Onnasuki made all women who visited her house dress as she did, though since the basket was full, leaving no room for her own clothes, Emi simply decided to forego the stripping and moved back to the bedroom in search of her buff friend.

Though she enjoyed both visits to this place, Emi still somehow found one reason or another to turn beet red upon setting foot into the house of Onnasuki, and a loud, delighted moan that sounded inside the bedroom as she drew closer was one such reason.

"OOooooh yeah~~! Riiight there!" Onnasuki cried out. "Harder, harder... Yyeah, that's it~!"

"Onna, I've barely gotten started giving you my treatment." Another female voice giggled, one that sounded incredibly familiar to Emi. She stopped upon hearing the voice, trying to figure out who it belonged to.

"Can you blame me?" Onnasuki sighed, obviously melting into a puddle of ecstasy. "I've been wavin' my ass around for a bunch of nasty-ass men for the past two days... one of them even somehow roped me into giving him a lapdance. Ugh!"

"Ew!" Emi cringed, still outside the closed off bedroom, understanding how uncomfortable Onnasuki would be giving men lapdances; though few knew the full reason why, Onnasuki despised men, and was disgusted by almost everything to do with them. Emi didn't share such a high level of disgust, but enough to know why her nudist friend was happy to be in the thralls of ecstasy by whatever woman was in her bed.

"So why wouldn't I be in heaven right now, Kiki?"

"Kiki? As in... Nikia-sensei?!" Emi thought.

"I understand." Nikia said. "Say... before I continue, should I let Emi in first?"

Emi flinched at these words, unaware that she gave any sort of indication that she was there.

"That sounds good." Onnasuki agreed, just as she and Nikia continued with... whatever they were doing. "I was hoping to see her today. Come on in, Emi! Mmmmph~~!"

Nervously, Emi opened the door to feast her eyes upon two nude beauties laying across the bed.

Laying down on her front was Onnasuki, a shapely young woman with short black hair, who was moaning in delight at the very touch of Nikia, a tall, dark-skinned woman with a prominent muscle tone, who was kneading Onnasuki's back, hands covered in oil.

"Um, Hi, Onna, Kiki-sensei." Emi said awkwardly. "Er, is this a bad time?"

"You couldn't have picked a better time to come." Nikia grinned. "If you want, I can work on you after I'm done with Onna."

"Emi, you know my rules." Onnasuki leered at Emi's clothed form.

"Well, your basket was full, so..." Emi said feebly.

"Take em off wherever." Onnasuki shrugged.

"So, what brings you here Emi?" asked Nikia, as she moved down to massage Onnasuki's butt cheeks. "I take it you didn't come for a massage?"

"No, but I plan to stay for one." Emi grinned. "Anko-sensei said I would meet a Jounin to take me under their tutelage to be a full Genin. I assume she was referring to one of you two? ...or, maybe both of you?"

"Did she now?" Onnasuki said, amused. She opened her mouth to speak again, but only delighted moans came out as Nikia began to work her fingers on her thighs.

"She did say she wanted me to pay you a visit soon." Nikia grinned. "Well, since you've asked, I would love to reclaim you ask my student."

"What about Onna?" Emi asked. "Not that I wouldn't love for you to stay my teacher, just..." She added hastily.

"I knew what you meant, Emi." Nikia giggled. "Onna's not really qualified to teach Genin, for two reasons; the first being that active members of the Anbu are barred from taking on such things on a permanent basis, so that they may focus on their Black Ops duties, and keep their identities as Anbu concealed... which is why it was foolish to leave this mark exposed for Emi to see it!" She pinched Onnasuki's leg, where a red spiral tattoo could be visibly seen.

"Ow, hey!" Onnasuki yelled. "It was an honest, one-time mistake, okay?!"

"What's the other reason?" Emi asked. "Are you not a Jounin?"

"Nope..." Onnasuki sighed, embarrassed as she rubbed the spot where Nikia pinched her. "In fact, I hate to say it, but... I'm still a Genin."

It took a moment for this statement to sink in for Emi. "Er... what?"

"I was inducted into the Anbu at a young age, okay?!" Onnasuki groaned. "I was never really occupied with things like the Chunin Exams, when I had missions of tactical espionage to fulfill. And why are still dressed?! It's your turn, you know."

Emi hurriedly took off her clothes, and climbed onto the bed with the other women, covering her chest shyly as she sat on her knees.

"Emi, don't be silly." Nikia giggled. "You've seen us both naked several times. No need to be shy. Would you like me to start with your back? Or your front?"

"Front, I guess..." Emi replied. She opened her arms for Nikia, who coated her flat chest with cool massage oil, causing Emi to give a tiny shrill at the sudden cold contact, but as Nikia worked her hands, the little lesbian soon fell into a state of calm bliss.

"Anyway, I would test you, like how many of the other reassigned Genin were," Nikia continued as she wrapped her hands around Emi's shoulders, causing them to turn limp with relaxation. "But, I'm already acutely aware of how capable of a Genin you are. However, one thing I do need to ask of you is a demonstration of your abilities."

"M-my abilities?" Emi repeated, suppressing a giggle as Nikia moved down to her stomach area. "What do you mean?"

"She wants to know what kind of jutsu you know, outside of the basic stuff you learned at the Academy." Onnasuki clarified as she lathered her own breasts with massage oil, and pressed them to Emi's back. "You like that?" She teased, massaging her boobs down Emi's back, as her front was lathered by Nikia, who now pressed her own body to Emi, so the young Kunoichi was now sandwiched between the two oiled, naked lesbians, rubbing against her.

"Y-yeah..." Emi breathed.

Onnasuki began to lay back, Emi and Nikia following, all three never breaking contact as they rubbed, lay on each with Emi pinned between them.  
It was getting hard to concentrate on the conversation at hand, what with the two lesbian vixens pleasuring her body, and even more so when Nikia began kneading her thighs, slowly but firmly. It was a proper massage technique, but Emi began to tense as she moaned as sudden sparks of pleasure ran through her; at first, this massage began as nothing erotic at all by Nikia's or Onnasuki's standards, but now that Nikia had ventured in such a sensitive area of her body, Emi contemplated what they could do to her in their current positions, and was sure that these activities would soon escalate, and fast; or was she secretly hoping?

"So, what kind of skills did you learn outside of the Academy?" Nikia asked, looking at Emi, who had begun spreading her legs more, and leaned her head back in ecstasy as Nikia's hands drew closer to her hips. Her pussy was beginning to moisten now, and with Nikia's touch, she was unable to hold back her sexual moans. When her hands reached Emi's hips, her fingers still kneading her inner thighs, she began to understand the effect her touch was having on her little friend.

"Sorry, is this too much?" She asked, to which Emi shrugged slightly.

"C-could you finish anyway... please?" She requested.

"Yeah, you bring someone this close to orgasm, you might as well go all the way." Onnasuki remarked, feeling how wet Emi had gotten with their combined efforts. "Sure thing, Emi!" She wet her breasts with some more oil, and continued to pleasure her friend from behind as her hands reached around to pleasure her nipples, making her moan out as she pinched, twisted, and played with them,while Nikia massaged her leg with one hand, and worked her fingers in her pussy with the other**, **one at a time, until three fingers were slowly inside the young lesbian, all the while their bodies rubbing against hers.

"Y-YES!" Emi moaned through gritted teeth. "Like that~~!" If her mind had been on anything other than her own ecstasy, she would have marveled at how precisely Nikia had found and exploited her G-spot, while also stroking her clit, but right now, as both lesbian women played with her body, she felt as if she were nothing but a toy for them to play with, writhing wantonly between them, breathing getting heavier and heavier, gasping as her cheeks flushed, and felt the familiar orgasmic presssure building within her. Nikia watching her and moved faster, Emi grabbing the sheets, holding firmly as she moaned out louder, her back arching. Nikia's fingers thrust faster and faster, making her get closer faster, Emi's mind beginnig to go blank as she is pushed further and harder towards release, until at last she overflowed with sexual euphoria, and her pussy forced Nikia's fingers out with a powerful orgasm.

Emi panted in sweet relief as she fell back, her head landing in Onnasuki's breasts.

"Feel a little better?" Nikia grinned.

"I feel a lot better." Emi sighed. "Anyway, I hate to say it, but... I've never really learned anything outside of the Academy."

"Nothing wrong with that." Onnasuki reasoned. "Some people need to leave the nest before they learn their real potential; I was the same way."

"You were?" Emi blinked, looking up into Onnasuki's eyes. "Then how did you gain your skills?"

"Well, first, I looked at what I was best at." Onnasuki explained. "For example, I was always an athletic person, so I focused on learning Taijutsu. and I developed the skills I got to make them my own. So, Emi..." She hugged Emi into her bosom. "What are YOU good at?"

This was not an easy question for Emi to answer; her grades at the Academy were average at best, and she couldn't think of a single thing she particularly excelled at that would make for a decent ninja skill.

"Nothing." She said, disappointed with herself.

"Emi, be honest." Nikia shook her head.

"I am." Emi insisted. "If you didn't give me such an easy exam, I wouldn't have become a Genin in the first place!"

"You think I went easy on you and the rest of Team 3?" Nikia blinked.

"You mean you didn't?" Emi couldn't understand her teacher's method. "You just put us all in bed and expected us to get along..."

"I put three girls that WOULDN'T have gotten along together, and yet they did." Nikia corrected. "You might not have known then, but that test had a very high margin for failure; remember, Tsuki and Nodoka both failed their previous Genin tests, and easily could have failed again no matter what test they were provided, especially when they were both placed together." Emi seemed as though she understood to some extent, but turned away uncertainly.

"I wouldn't be volunteering to teach you exclusively if I thought you were completely talentless, Emi." Nikia assured her. "Now really think: What are you best at?"

Emi slumped back, and slowly looked over her Academy life. What WAS she best at? No matter how many times or how many ways she looked at her life, she couldn't find a single talent that stood out to herself that would affect her skills as a ninja. Just interests, hobbies... nothing that would get her by in a real mission.

After nearly three solid minutes of silent contemplation, Nikia glanced to Onnasuki, who decided to put her own two cents forth.

"She is pretty fit for a girl her age." She spoke up, rubbing Emi's stomach and chest. "Almost no body fat at all, plenty of muscle..." She lightly squeezed Emi's arm, feeling a slight, but distinct firmness. "A lot of room for improvement, but I can guarantee that you'd be outstanding with Taijutsu."

"You raise a good point, Onna." Nikia grinned. "I've heard she did really good in her Taijutsu classes, and I can see why." She gripped Emi's thighs again, this time feeling the muscle tone in her legs. "I bet that you would be very agile on the battlefield, Emi."

"But I barely know any Taijutsu..." Emi objected. "And all I can think of that I'm good at, is... ugh, it's embarrassing..."

"Emi, you're talking to a pair of proud, sexually enthusiastic lesbians, one of whom is a nudist." Onnasuki reminded her young friend with amusement. "Your interest in the erotic arts is nothing to be ashamed of admitting."

"No, it's..." Emi sighed. "I know a lot about clothing. That's all I'm good at. Mom's a tailor, so I've grown up learning about clothing, tailoring, and the like."

"Hm..." Nikia muttered interestedly. "And you think that's useless knowledge to a Shinobi?"

"Isn't it?"

"To me, sure." Onnasuki chuckled teasingly.

"To non-nudist Shinobi however," Nikia said with an amused roll of the eyes. "t's always important to know what clothes would be best suited to a certain task, to provide its wearer with the proper mobility, protection, etc. And if you can optimize such knowledge... ANY knowledge to its fullest, more power to you. A ninja must be able to make use of every resource at their fingertips; even the clothes on their back can prove to be vital equipment."

"So ideally, on top of having the makings of a promising Taijutsu user, you'd also literally be perfectly suited for whatever a mission might throw at you." Onnasuki grinned. "The latter isn't quite my style, but now that you know what you're good at, I'd say all you need to do now is start developing your own style, and you'd be on the fast track to being a kickass Genin."

For a while, Emi imagined herself wearing a number of different outfits that ranged from weird to ridiculous while practicing martial arts. The more she thought of these two ideas, the less she could put together how either of them correlated, or even proved remotely useful together.

"Relax, Emi." Nikia smiled. "Tell you what? I want you to take one week to find out how to make use of your skills. You don't need to reinvent Ninjutsu; even just a few ideas will do. Do that, and I'll train you to be the best Kunoichi possible."

"You would do that?! Really?" Emi looked up to her Amazon teacher.

"Of course." Nikia giggled. "Now before I let you go, I have something for you..." She turned and leaned over the bed, giving Emi a perfect look at her ass. When she turned back around, she planted an affectionate kiss on Emi's forehead, before tying something around it. "Congratulations, Emi."

"Thank you, Kiki-sensei." Emi smiled as she touched the metal plate of her shinobi headband.

"Ah, there's that smile~!" Onnasuki said delightedly. "I've got something for you too." She dove under the bed for a moment, and pulled out a dusty, faded red scroll, which she presented to Emi.

"What's this?" Emi blinked, trying to until the very tight knot that held the scroll shut.

"That's the scroll that taught me everything I needed to know when I started learning Taijutsu." Onnasuki explained. "It's no substitute for hands-on training, but it's a good way to help you get started."

"Thank you, Onna."

"Just promise me you'll show me what you learn in bed one day." Onnasuki smirked teasingly. "No better way for two Kunoichi to let off some steam than with a round of bedroom sparring."

"I-indeed?" Emi muttered awkwardly. "Well, er..."

"If you show me something impressive next week, then I'll teach you all the bedroom sparring you could ask for~" Nikia giggled as she draped her arms around Emi's shoulders, her ample boobs pressed against the back of her head. "But for now, I want you to focus your efforts on beginning to develop your own techniques. Okay?"

"Yes." Emi nodded. "I'd love to stay for whatever other... activities you're planning, but Anko-sensei's waiting for me back home..."

"Say no more." Onnasuki smirked, giving Emi a playful pat on the butt as she got out of bed to dress herself. "Good luck, Emi~!"

* * *

"I know I told Kiki-sensei that I can handle it, but..." Emi sighed as she returned home later that day, sighing as she slumped over her desk. "I don't know where to start..." Then, she remembered the scroll that Onnasuki had given her, and eagerly unrolled it, only to turn bright red as she gazed upon its contents.

Painted across the page were vivid illustrations of naked women demonstrating what Emi could only assume were a collection of erotic techniques ranging from sensual forms of chakra manipulation, to physical methods of seduction, to...

"'The 100 pleasure spots on the female body', huh?" Emi's heart leaped straight up into her throat as she threw the scroll shut. She whirled around, almost falling out of her chair as she saw none other than Anko Mitarashi standing over her.

"Ah-Anko-sensei, what a surprise!" She said in a hurried, would-be-casual voice.

"I left you a note telling you that I'd drop by." Anko pointed out with a smirk. "So... What might that be?" She indicated the scroll Emi had been reading before being interrupted.

"Eh? Uh..." Emi blushed awkwardly. "Onna said it was a Taijutsu scroll to assist my training, but..." She peeked at the scroll's contents again. "This doesn't seem to be any sort of Taijutsu I've ever heard of..."

"Because it isn't." Anko chuckled as she opened the scroll back up. "Ah, now THIS brings back some memories! I remember having this exact scroll when I was first learning Erojutsu."

"E-Erojutsu?!" Emi repeated.

"Anyway, so I take it your chat with Kiki went well?" Anko smirked. Emi recounted everything she had discussed with Onnasuki and Nikia as Anko enthusiastically glanced over the scroll's erotic illustrations.

"...And so Kiki-sensei wants me to develop my own style of jutsu before I can start officially training with her." Emi concluded. "...But, I can't think of any way that I can go about doing something like that. I mean... a technique involving Taijutsu and clothes... did I really just say that?!" Just saying these words made her endeavors feel incredibly foolish.

"I may have the missing piece to your puzzle." Anko said interestedly.

"You have...?" Emi blinked. She looked back at Anko, just in time to see her back turned as she dropped her skirt. "Er, is this really time for that, sensei?" She blushed, but Anko smirked as she shed her fishnet bodysuit, and shortly after letting her coat fall to the floor.

However, to Emi's surprise, her favorite sensei now stood donned in a full-body black bodysuit that hugged every curve and crevice of her body tightly, to the point that Emi felt that she might as well be fully naked. She was ready to ask what this outfit had to do with anything, but her jaw dropped as Anko tapped a finger to her chest, and a diamond-shaped hole opened at her touch, perfectly exposing her cleavage.

"This suit is woven with fibers that react to chakra." Anko grinned. "At my very touch, I can turn this into whatever outfit I need it to be." She drew a finger up each arm from wrist to shoulder, and her sleeves receded into the suit. "Nice, huh?"

"Where did you get that?" asked Emi, fascinated.

"I'm borrowing it from a friend; I figured it might be useful for my upcoming classes." Anko shrugged casually. "Anyway, I think you might find Chakra Fibers to be really interesting; an outfit like this one can only change form, but one made with enough Chakra Fibers can do all sorts of amazing shit like you wouldn't believe!"

"Chakra Fibers...?" Emi mused. "...How do you put something like that on?" She asked, looking at Anko's back curiously. "There isn't any zipper or seam anywhere that I can see..."

"I'll show you." Anko grinned. "Go ahead and take off your clothes."

"Now?" Emi blinked. Now was a little too soon to be thinking about that...

"Yeah, go on." When her little friend had stripped completely naked, Anko grew the fibers all the way down to her fingertips, and then placed her hand to Emi's chest. To the girl's surprise, the fabric began to crawl all over her skin at Anko's touch. Emi watched in utter amazement and bewilderment as the suit left Anko's body, to manifest on her own body.

"That's amazing!" Emi marveled as she looked at herself, now covered from neck to toe in the black bodysuit. "...And this can be ANYTHING I want it to be?"

Then, an idea came to her mind. "Can you infuse them with your own chakra?"

"I've never done it myself, but yeah, I've seen it done before." Anko nodded. "Chakra locking a suit like this can significantly enhance your physical capabilities, provide a minor level of protection, hell, if you know your chakra nature, you could even channel it through the suit for some interesting results." Emi seemed ready to ask what a Chakra nature was, but Anko gave a shrugging sigh.

"It's just too bad that Chakra Fibers are so damn rare..." She cast her signature smirk to the door. "Only a few lucky people in Konoha have a useful stock of them, much less the knowhow to make use of them."

Emi's eyes widened at this remark; she knew Anko well enough to know what she was hinting at, and she could hardly believe what she was hearing.

"Oh well..." Anko shrugged again. "So anyway, what'ya think?"

"I think you were right, sensei." Emi grinned, "I think you found just the missing piece that I was looking for!"

**To Be Continued...**

* * *

**Well... now even I have no idea what's going to be happening in the next chapter :/ **

**Maybe I'll give Tenten a proper introduction...**

**Either way, see you then!**

**Special thanks to Sketchfan for permission to use his OC Nikia.**


	5. Filler: Will she be okay?

**I know I haven't updated recently, and I apologize for that, but between my new job and the new original series I'm working on, on top of the fact that I'm trying to find the magic that made SE:AMS so fun to write in the first place... it's been difficult.**

**On the topic of that original series, though, I've opened my own Fiction Press account, so you can read it there. I have the same user name as here, 'The Digger', so head on over and enjoy 'Fighter Chicks!'.**

**Anyway, I know this isn't much, but I've come up with a 'filler' chapter, to keep my writing from getting too rusty, to at least somewhat reward your guys' patience, and to at least somewhat advance the plot. Hopefully, this will be the only filler chapter the Crossroads series will get.**

**Anyways, enjoy!**

* * *

Morning came very late for the Mitarashi House. It wasn't until nearly 1 in the afternoon that even the diligent Hinata Hyuuga, who was almost always up before her other housemates, had awoken to the sight of her own naked reflection in the mirrored ceiling, sandwiched between her boyfriend Naruto, whose morning wood was pushed teasingly against her leg, and Anko, whose boobs she somehow ended up using as a pillow.

She tried to climb out of bed, but fell back where she lay, completely unable to move. She slowly sat up, and after a brief, bleary-eyed look around the rec room, it was obvious to see why Hinata's hips were almost painfully immobile; The basement where she slept was littered with sex toys, many of which still buzzing audibly, a number of porn tapes strewn in front of the TV, one sticking out of the VCR, magazines lay open around the bed and on the nightstands, exposing very erotic images, and all three of the sleeping shinobi were covered in ejaculatory juices.

Naruto had stopped his snoring, which Hinata knew meant he would awaken at any moment. Though she blamed him for her inability to move the lower half of her body, she smiled and pulled him close in an affectionate embrace, as she felt his hard-on press between her legs.

_"H-how can he still be THIS hard?" _She wondered. With a lot of pain and effort, Hinata sat up, and slowly but surely pulled herself down to Naruto's massive, throbbing erection, inserting it into her mouth. Though she had meant to give Naruto a pleasure-filled 'good morning', she stopped when his cock could enter her mouth as far as it could go, and simply suckled on it, relishing the taste of his sexual musk and the warm, rock hard feeling inside her mouth.

"Good morning to you too, Hinata." Naruto chuckled as he opened his eyes. Hinata's eyes turned up to face him, and she gave him the closest thing to a smile she could give with a thick cock in her mouth. "You really up for more, after last night?" He asked teasingly.

"Sorry, but not right now..." Hinata took Naruto's dick out of her mouth for a moment to reply. "I can't feel my legs after last night, so..."

"Breakfast in bed it is, then!" Both Genin flinched as they saw Anko standing in front of them. "How do you like your eggs?"

"Uh, scrambled, I guess?" Naruto shrugged.

"Sunny-side up, please." Hinata requested.

"Comin' right up!" Anko nodded as she headed up the basement stairs, leaving the young couple by themselves.

"I wasn't too rough with you last night, was I?" Naruto asked sheepishly. "I mean, I know that I got carried away this time, but...?"

"You always get carried away when we're in bed, Naruto." Hinata giggled. "I just wish that I wasn't double-teamed by both you and Anko-sensei at once."

"Yeah, I guess that'd do it..." Naruto chuckled, turning his eyes to a strap-on by the bedside opposite him with a particularly long, thick dildo used by Anko the previous night. "Sorry about that..."

"Don't worry." Hinata shook her head. "Maybe next time, I can return the favor?"

"Please do~." Naruto smirked. "Wait..." His eyes widened as he noticed Hinata's eyes on the strap-on. "You don't mean...?"

"Breakfast is served!" Anko called as she returned with hot meals for everyone.

"Thanks, sensei." Naruto and Hinata said together as they each accepted their own breakfast trays.

"Hey, Anko-sensei?" Naruto said inquisitively as he gathered some scrambled egg onto his fork. "I just thought: How do you like your eggs?"

"Raw." Anko answered simply as she stuck a large piece of sausage in her mouth. Both of her students felt a twinge of amusement; Anko enjoyed her sausage the same way she liked her dick: thick, meaty, and in her mouth.

"You mean, you just open it and drink out what's inside?" Hinata blinked. That didn't exactly sound like a tasty preference.

"Nope, more like this..." Anko grinned. She showed them each a whole egg, and inserted it directly into her mouth before swallowing the entire thing effortlessly.

"Whoa!" Naruto said with amazement. "Where'd you learn to do that?"

"You tend to learn a few things when you've starred in enough smut films." Anko smirked. "I think 'Intoxicating Cobra' had to be one of my favorite movies. I wasn't just sucking down eggs, if you know what I mean~!"

"I sure do." Naruto laughed pervertedly. "Is that also where you learned to do that tongue thing?"

"No, but probably where I've made the best use of it. Ah, me and Naga... we had some fun times on the Intoxicating Cobra saga..."

"Who's Naga?" asked Hinata.

"Naga and his twin sister Medu were kind of a 'boyfriend and girlfriend' of mine back in the day." Anko said casually before swallowing another whole egg. She laughed as an amusing memory crossed her mind. "It's funny, because when I first met Medu, she fucking hated me; she wanted the leading role in the first Intoxicating Cobra film, which I'd stolen right under her. She got even more pissed when I asked to spend the night with her brother... especially when he agreed!"

"So how'd she become your 'girlfriend' then?" Naruto asked interestedly. "I'm betting it somehow involved a threesome?"

"You could say that." Anko grinned. "She was so mad about me taking her role AND her brother, that she didn't leave us alone for our entire date. Every minute we spent out on the town, she was right alongside us, cockblocking us at every opportunity she could. Even when I took Naga back to my place, Medu was right behind us, and insisted on watching as Naga fucked me. Actually, those two always seemed to enjoy watching each other have sex..."

"I guess it's a sibling thing...?" Naruto shrugged, thinking distinctly of his self-proclaimed 'big sis', Naruko.

Hinata was about to agree with Naruto's theory, but paused, hesitating on that thought; out of the three in the room, she was the only one who had a biological sibling, and maybe it was because Hanabi was only about 8 years old, but she couldn't imagine herself watching her own little sister having sex, much less get enjoyment from watching it.

"I guess so." Anko shrugged. "Anyway, so while she watched Naga bone me, I decided to make her as jealous as possible; I started by just making a lot of noise, making the sex seem greater than it was (but don't get me wrong, sex with Naga's always great!), and then I ended up turning the tables on Naga, fucking his lights out." She reached a finger down to her pussy as she reminisced. "She never would have admitted it, but she got super horny when I started fucking her brother; I could see her fighting the urge to masturbate while I gave Naga a good pounding!"

"Anko-sensei, that's just mean!" Hinata laughed.

"Yeah, I bet she hated you even more after that!" Naruto joined his girlfriend in a laugh.

"Oh, she did!" Anko smirked. "...Or so she said every time we had to interact. Every night, Naga and I spent the night together, and every night, Medu insisted on watching us have sex. And every time, I could see her restraint slowly fade, until one night where, before Naga even had the chance to drop his pants, she jumped me!"

"As in...?" Hinata blushed.

"Yep!" Anko laughed. "She decided to strip me, wrestle me into bed, and exact her 'revenge' on me. And let me tell you, any girl whose idea of 'revenge' is tribbing you senseless is a girl worth loving. After that, Naga and Medu agreed to 'share me', and ever since, we were pretty damn close. I think Naga even asked me if I wanted to marry either him or Medu at one point!"

"Where are they now?" Naruto asked interestedly. Anko paused, and Hinata had a distinct feeling that this was one question Naruto shouldn't have asked.

"I'm not sure, honestly." Anko shrugged. "The last we met, it was after we finished 'Intoxicating Cobra 4: The Rock-Hard Gorgon'. At that point, Naga and Medu moved to a some new gig, and I had to train with my teacher at the time, so on our last night together, we decided we'd each get something special to remember each other by..." She looked over her shoulder in reminiscence.

"Is THAT where you got that tattoo from?" Naruto gasped, understanding now. Ever since he'd known her, Anko had always had a strange, black tattoo with three circling tomoe on the back of her neck, but any time the subject had been brought up in the past, she always seemed to dodge the subject for whatever reason, so he felt a little privileged to have finally learned the story firsthand.

"Yep. Both Naga and Medu got ones just like it." Anko chuckled weakly.

Though Naruto grinned, with thoughts of doing something similar with his own lover, Hinata couldn't help but feel a strange sense of foreboding the more Anko continued her story.

"I'd like to think they're still out there making porno like they've always done, but I don't remember seeing anything with them in more recent years. Eh, who knows?"

"Why are you telling us all of this?" Hinata asked, Naruto blinking at her curiously.

"Hm? Why wouldn't I?" Anko shrugged. "I love you two. Not in that mushy, lovey-dovey way, but you two are like... more than family to me. Besides, not so much as a shadow between us, right?"

"Yes, but..."

"Hey, breakfast is getting cold! Better eat up!" Anko interjected loudly. "So, ah... Want anything else to go with your breakfast in bed?"

"...Maybe some toast?" Naruto said awkwardly.

"Cummin' up!" Anko marched her way back up the stairs.

When they knew Anko was out of earshot, Naruto and Hinata exchanged some very serious looks of concern for their sensei. There was something very off about her story, as if Anko was only telling half of the truth, or half of the story.

"Will she be okay?" They asked each other in unison.

Each one surprised by the other's question, they looked up at the stairs in contemplation. Even after learning more about Anko, they each felt like they knew even less about her than before.

**To Be Continued...**

**I hope that you all enjoyed this filler chapter... for what it is, anyway... Hopefully soon, I'll be getting things back on track, and the real fun can begin. Also, I deeply apologize for this filler being devoid of any sex scenes :/ I planned on including one, but given the focus on Anko's story, it honestly felt kind of forced to me. Or heck, maybe I'm just saving the real fun for the chapter to come? :P**

**In the meantime, I recommend heading on over to Fiction Press, and checking out the first chapter of 'Fighter Chicks!', my first ever original series! I've worked long and hard on it, and I really don't want that one chapter to be the ONLY chapter, so please go check it out, and let me know what you think! Your feedback really helps me bring my writings to life, be they original or fanfiction.**

**See you next time!**


	6. Operation: Devil's Nest pt1

**Yes, I know, it's been way too long since this series was last updated. Believe me, EVERYBODY knows ^^; Well... these are the last few chapters of the Crossroads series before the Sequel proper, so it won't be much longer... hopefully. Figuring out how to handle these last few chapters was NOT an easy task, so I REALLY hope that the pieces of this puzzle I picked out were the right ones, and moreover, that they were arranged just right.**

**...all that aside, a fair warning: the later portions of this chapter, as well as the ones to come, may get rather dark. Sorry if that's not your thing, but it won't last too long.**

**Well, in any event... let's get started!**

* * *

Anko Mitarashi yawned wearily as she pondered what to write next in her teacher's book. She had been working on it for the past few nights, and the day after tomorrow was her first day of teaching her next year, which meant that, as much as it pained her, she couldn't spend the time with Naruto and Hinata downstairs that she wanted to. Even so, she sat comfortably naked in her bed as she glanced over what she'd written so far, and thought about what could be added.

"Sup?" She responded to a knock on her door. Expectedly, her two young friends/students with benefits stepped into her bedroom, both clearly wanting to spend some 'quality time' with their favorite sensei. "Sorry guys." She said sheepishly. "Got a LOT of work to do, and only a short time to do it..."

"Maybe... we could help?" Naruto suggested hopefully.

"Besides, you need a break eventually, sensei." Hinata added.

Anko turned her eyes up from her book to look over Naruto and Hinata, both of whom were in their underwear. "A break is tempting..." She gave them her iconic smirk. "But, if I don't have a lesson plan set out for the next few weeks in the next two days, I'm gonna be fucked... in a bad way. Anyways, I need at least a month's worth of material, but I just don't have the mojo for it like I did back then..." She remembered writing up a whole year's curriculum in a single all-nighter, but despite having a year's worth of teaching experience, she couldn't think of even a few days worth of class material. "The fuck is wrong with me?" She groaned, dropping the teacher's book.

"What was wrong with the first book?" asked Naruto. "Couldn't you just use that one?"

"Eh, if only it were that easy..." Anko sighed. "I lost that thing a long time ago. Maybe it was during that mental breakdown after Daimao's Den...?"

Both Hinata and Naruto cringed. They knew how hard Daimao's Den affected her, both when they first showed themselves, and when their kidnappings affected the lives of her students.

"...Or maybe I just mistook it for trash and threw it out like a dumbass...? I dunno, either way, they need someone's teacher's book."

Naruto and Hinata exchanged looks, and an idea hit them.

"We can help you." They said together.

"I remember our first week clear as day," Naruto grinned. "We both do."

"We were your students last year." Hinata nodded. "What if we helped you with this year's class?"

Anko grinned at them, having nothing but admiration for their idea. "Yeah... I like it." She smirked. "Okay then, strip naked, you two. We have MUCH to discuss~!"

"You always do work like this naked, sensei." Naruto observed as he dropped his boxers. "How come?"

"Nudity helps me think." Anko shrugged playfully.

"What does nudity NOT help you with?" Hinata grinned as she began unhooking her bra.

"Staying safe from kunai wounds, blending in with any surroundings outside of a nudist colony..." Anko teased. "But seriously, try it some time. Whenever you're having a hard time thinking about something, try getting naked. Helps you feel more free physically and mentally... well, it does for me, anyway."

"Pretty sure Iruka-sensei would have killed me if I ever did that in the middle of a test." Naruto laughed, almost wishing he'd have thought of doing just that as a prank during his academy days.

"True, but I bet the Academy would have some smarter kids if they took tests in their birthday suits." Anko laughed. "...Oh! That's a good one!" She began hastily scribbling something in her book.

"So, um... What would you like our help with?" Hinata asked awkwardly. However, for several minutes, Anko didn't answer; she busily wrote something down. When she finally stopped, she looked up at her two naked students.

"First..." She said hesitatingly. "How about... yeah, let's start off with getting students out of their comfort zones." She smirked at Naruto and Hinata, remembering how timid they used to be. _"Well, they still are, especially Hinata, but compared to back then..." _

"Okay, what about it?" asked Naruto.

"Well... I had two ideas, and I want to know from the source what you think." said Anko. "I figure, we could go about starting the process off slow and easily, with a bit of nudity here and there, and then work our way up until nobody's bothered by it. Or, we could just have everyone get nekkid right out of the gate, and have them learn to accept the sexual nature of this class from the start..."

"Ease them in!" Naruto and Hinata said together immediately.

"Not that I don't appreciate your intentions..." Hinata said sheepishly. "But, I think it would be too much for such young minds to be... 'exposed' in such a way on their very first day." She imagined her first class with Anko, and knew it would have been mortifying for her if the teacher ordered her and everyone else to 'get nekkid' out of the blue.

"Yeah, good point." Anko nodded. "Maybe with the older students, that'd work out better..."

"Wait, say again?" Naruto spoke up. "'Older students?'"

"Eh, don't worry about that right now; just an idea I'm tossing around..." Anko teased.

* * *

The next morning, Anko was awoken by a small jet of air blowing behind her ear. She flung back the covers, ready to strike, only to find her attacking hand an inch away from the neck of Yahiko Satoru.

"Hey." He grinned casually. "Did I miss out on something?" He looked down at Anko's naked body, then to the two sleeping Genin, who were also nude.

"...Something like that." Anko smirked. "But, I'm guessing you didn't wake me for a 'study party?'"

"Lord Hokage summoned you." Yahiko stated, dead serious. "He requires both of us to meet him to discuss a very important mission."

"As in 'Daimao's Den important?'"

"Exactly."

Anko was trapped somewhere between fear and excitement; at last, a lead to the sinister organization was found, but at what cost? Were more lives put in danger? Why now?

"Let's not waste any time, then!" She declared as she threw on her regular clothes. "Let's see what new demons await us."

As she and Yahiko went out the door, Naruto and Hinata, who had both been faking sleep at the time, opened their eyes, and looked to each other with mixed expressions.

"You heard all that, right?" Naruto asked.

"Mhm..." Hinata nodded, not sure what to think.

* * *

Though Yahiko and Anko had stood before him for a solid minute, The Hokage was silent for a few moments as he gripped his pipe firmly between his teeth. With an exhale of smoke from his nostrils, he turned to them with a grievously serious face.

"There's been more information of Daimao's Den's activities." He stated. "Information leaked by their 'demon king' himself: Mizuki."

"What kind of information?" Anko pressed, impatient to know more. The Hokage though, took a moment to inhale deeply from his pipe, testing her patience.

"They're seeking a new leader." He stated. "With Mizuki imprisoned, their organization needs to crown a new 'demon king', and though I'm not entirely clear how they plan to find their new leader, what is clear is that they must be stopped here and now."

"So what do you need us to do?" Anko asked readily.

"We've found concentrations of Daimao's Den in three locations across the Land of Fire." The Hokage explained, indicating a map on his desk. There, three small figures bearing the red emblems of Daimao's Den stood marking the objectives. "However, the only one you need to concern yourselves with is this one." He tapped one of the figures that stood very close to the border of the Land of Fire. However, it's what was just across that border that grabbed Anko's attention, and Yahiko quickly saw why: not far from the marker stood a smaller country marked with a musical note.

"Are they doing what I think they're doing?" Anko glared.

"I believe so." The Hokage replied grimly.

"But since when has Daimao's Den ever allied with anybody, much less the Sound Village?" Yahiko observed.

"And that is precisely what concerns me." The Hokage nodded. "My theory is that they seek to employ someone within that village as their new leader. And I believe we all know just who they're after."

"So, just jump in and crash the party then?" Anko confirmed. The Hokage nodded. "Alright! So, what about those other two spots?" She asked.

"Those points will be the focus of other squads; you needn't concern yourselves with either one." The Hokage replied. "You're free to employ up to two more squad mates if you think it necessary, but waste no time."

"Yes sir!" Anko and Yahiko confirmed together.

* * *

As the pair traveled towards the village gates, Anko mused upon the Hokage's last words: 'You're free to employ up to two more squad mates if you think it necessary, but waste no time.' In her current state of mind, Anko saw no reason to call upon any more teammates besides Yahiko. Besides, who could she bring along who could be of any help? Naruto and Hinata? No, they were capable, but she'd rather not drag either one into this, especially not after Hinata's experience with Daimao's Den. Onnasuki?Well, she was a master of stealth, but with her ANBU duties, Anko doubted she could join if she wanted to. Her old squad? Three people too many.

Everyone she could think of on hand, either she didn't want to get involved, or would potentially endanger the mission. At the same time though, walking blind into... whatever the hell they were walking into with just two Tokubetsu Jounin just felt like a mission that neither of them could survive, regardless of their skills or experience...

"You're thinking about who to add to our team, aren't you?" Yahiko said, knowing exactly what his partner was thinking.

"You know, I remember Shino once saying I was an easy person to read..." Anko sighed, shrugging with half amusement.

"Yeah, you kind of are." Yahiko chuckled. "Anyway, I have just the person we need to make our mission a success."

Anko blinked interestedly at Yahiko. "Really? Who?"

"I've only met her recently," Yahiko admitted. "But there's no doubt that she'll be a great asset to the mission. I told her to meet us at the front gates, so we can head to Point Alpha without wasting a second."

"Sounds good." Anko grinned as she and Yahiko reached the massive wooden gates to Konohagakure. "So... where is this badass kunoichi of yours?"

"Right here!" Anko turned around at the sound of this voice, yet saw nobody who fit her image of the person Yahiko referred to. She scanned the area around the gate, yet only a few normal-looking passersby, the gatekeepers, and...

"Wait... you?" Anko blinked as she looked down at a young girl with brown hair tied up in twin buns. Anko had to give credit where it was due: she certainly looked ready for a fight, donned in a combat-ready sleeveless pink shirt and dark green pants, but she barely looked older than Hinata.

"Yep!" The girl nodded determinedly. "I'm ready to go, Yahiko-sensei!"

"Wait, 'sensei?'" Anko looked curiously at Yahiko, who grinned.

"Kind of a long story," He shrugged. "And right now, we don't exactly have time for long stories."

"Fair point." Anko nodded. "But I'm not really sure about..."

"She'll be okay, Anko. Believe me." Yahiko assured her, remembering the Daimao's Den incident earlier that year. "I've seen her skills first hand, and she's practically a Chunin."

Anko hesitated very seriously before replying, "...Alright, we're a bit short on time right now anyways, so I guess there's not much choice. C'mon, kid, I'll explain everything on the way."

"Hey! I'm no kid!" Tenten said indignantly as Anko and Yahiko led her off.

"You still a virgin?" Anko smirked back at her.

"...Well, yeah, but..." Tenten confided. "...I've got eyes on some guys and girls that I'd like to bang!"

Anko grinned. "We're gonna get along great, kid~!"

* * *

"We've got eyes on the target." Sasuke Uchiha whispered, prepared to strike at any moment.

"Current Distance: 5 meters." Sakura Haruno said, also ready to engage.

"We're in position, and awaiting your signal, Kakashi-sensei." Naruto stated.

"Alright," Kakashi Hatake spoke across the radio as he observed his students from afar. "Go now!"

All three Genin lashed out from their cover. Their target startled, it attempted to escape, but Sasuke blocked its escape. Naruto made a grab for it, only to be slashed across the face, temporarily immobilizing him. While her teammates recovered, Sakura chased after the nimble objective, just before Naruto made a miraculous dive, grabbing it successfully.

"GOT IT!" He screamed.

"Target captured: confirmed by ribbon on right ear as missing cat Tora." Sakura announced to Kakashi triumphantly.

"Good work, Team 7. Mission Accomplished." Kakashi confirmed.

"Aagh! Maybe not for much longer! Someone else help me get a grip on this little fucker!" Naruto yelled, trying as hard as he could to keep his hold on the runaway cat as it continued to scratch and claw at him.

"In any case, well done." Kakashi smiled under his mask.

* * *

"OOOoohhh, thank you, brave ninjas for rescuing my adorable little Tora!" Madam Shijimi gushed delightedly as she squeezed her beloved cat very tightly. "I don't know what I would have done had something happen to her, I've simply been worried sick if she might have..."

"No wonder she ran away..." Sakura muttered as the portly woman practically squeezed the life out of the poor cat he'd just rescued.

"Ugh, no kidding." Naruto grumbled, cleaning up his bloodied face, which had been severely cut up by Tora in a desperate attempt to avoid returning to her overly affectionate owner. "I'd claw up every shinobi in the village if it meant staying away from her."

Kakashi chuckled between amused and sheepish as Old Man Hokage laid eyes on Team 7. "Well, now that we've completed that ordeal, what's our next mission?" He said awkwardly.

"Hm..." The Hokage eyed his scroll._ "Danzo has nothing but dangerous plans for this boy..." _He thought grievously, eyeing Naruto as he tended to his Tora wounds.

"...Er, Lord Hokage?" Kakashi spoke up.

"Yes, well..." The Hokage cleared his throat as he returned to the Genin Squad awaiting his direction. "I believe another D-Ranked Mission is in order," He put down the scroll he had been given from Danzo, and instead unrolled a thicker green one marked with several large 'D's. "I would recommend one from Ms. Tanzuki, who is in need of babysitting her young ones, or perhaps..."

"Are you serious?! No way we're doing even more of these crappy chores!" Kakashi, Sakura and Sasuke were all surprised to see that this loudly-voiced objection was NOT delivered by Naruto, but by another Genin Squad close by.

"Kiba, I know you want something more challenging, but all Genin need to start with the basics." Fresh Jounin Kurenai Yuuhi told her loud-mouthed student, somewhat weary.

"Kiba's right!" Naruto grunted. "All we've done is pick up trash, 'rescue' cats, all just a bunch of dumb chores! Why don't we go on a real mission? Something challenging, something important!"

_"Ugh, this again...?"_ Kakashi sighed. This was hardly the first time Naruto had issued this complaint, though it probably was the first time he had yelled it right to The Third Hokage's face.

The Hokage also sighed at these complaints. "Very well." He said. "I will send both Teams 7 and 8 on C-Rank Missions." He declared, albeit reluctantly.

"Yeah?" Naruto perked up instantly.

"Awright, about time!" Kiba smirked. "So, what're we doing?"

* * *

"We're first and foremost investigating possible suspicious activity." Anko summarized the mission to Tenten as they traveled the final stretch of their journey. "You know who Daimao's Den is, right?"

"Yeah, I'm familiar." Tenten said uncomfortably. "They raided my family's weapon store on that night those academy students were abducted."

"So you're aware of what a threat they are." Yahiko nodded.

"Considering the stuff they stole... yeah." Tenten grunted.

"So the people we're after are both illusive AND heavily armed." Anko sighed. "Fucking great."

"What kind of 'suspicious activity' are we investigating, anyway?" asked Tenten. "I mean, I know it's Daimao's Den, but..."

"From what we understand, they're out looking for new allies in the Silent Forest." Yahiko replied. "And if so, then we can't let that happen."

"The Silent Forest?" Tenten repeated. "I've never heard of it."

"Yeah, not a lot of people have; that's kinda the point." Anko chuckled. "It used to be a city on the border of the Land of Fire leading into the Land of Rice Fields called Rokujou, but during the war, it was run down to the point that it was largely abandoned."

Tenten knew there was plenty more to this story, given the operative word ending her explanation: 'largely.' "So, the Den's hiding out in this old place?"

"It's a cesspool of criminals." Yahiko grunted, obviously having been to this place on a number of occasions. "Personally, I don't blame Anko for not wanting to bring you here." He took off his headband as he and Anko dug around in the knapsack they had brought. "To be honest, I'm pretty reluctant myself..."

"What are you doing?" Tenten blinked, watching as both Yahiko and Anko began undressing, replacing their usual clothes with new ones in their bags. Yahiko burried any trace of his Konoha ninja status deep into his own bag, as he donned a ragged, thuggish-looking outfit, while Anko let down her purple hair, ruffling it as she ditched all but her fishnet bodysuit.

"If you're gonna set foot into the Silent Forest," Anko smirked as she strapped a black leather collar to her own throat. "You gotta look the part."

"I can tell you from experience that anything implying that you're a shinobi, no matter the village, is something that WILL get you killed on sight in these parts." Yahiko explained. "And almost nobody will fall for a Transformation Jutsu."

Tenten's hands flew straight to her headband, as if scared that someone from the Silent Forest had already seen it. "Then I might be a problem..."

"No, we can make this work." Yahiko grinned reassuringly. He and Anko exchanged devious looks. "You thinking what I'm thinking?"

"Yeah." Anko smirked playfully. "Kid, take off your clothes. All of 'em~!"

"Er... what are you planning?" Tenten blinked, starting to feel uncomfortable with the way the Tokubetsu Jounin were looking at her.

**Moments Later...**

_"What the hell have I gotten myself involved in?" _Tenten thought with a groan. She was currently walking ahead of Yahiko and Anko, her brunette hair unbraided so it fell down to her shoulder blades, and wearing absolutely nothing, save for a Shibari: an intricately-tied rope that bound her from the neck down to her crotch, where it had been pulled up tightly against her vagina and between her butt cheeks. Yahiko held the end of the rope that wrapped around Tenten's neck like a leash and collar, walking her through the run down city known as the Silent Forest with Anko, who had been stripped completely naked, save for a leather collar, by his side.

"I'll explain everything later..." Yahiko whispered apologetically to Tenten, careful to keep his voice as soft as possible. "For now, just play the part."

"What part...?" Tenten asked, not entirely sure what was going on. When people's heads turned to look at her, she yelped as Yahiko slapped her very firmly on the rear.

"Move, bitch!" He shouted, pushing her towards their destination.

This was enough of a hint for Tenten; she was playing the part of a slave! _"But why not Anko...?"_

"Eh, new bitches just can't take a hint, can they?" A man laughed as he approached Yahiko. "Welcome to the Silent Forest, Mr...?"

"Toru." Yahiko stated flatly, looking unamused as the man started touching Tenten's bare skin. "What do you think you're doing, putting your hands on my property?"

Tenten knew that this was just an act, but still felt deeply uncomfortable by being labeled 'property'. Never mind the fact that she was being touched in undesired places by an undesired person.

"Sorry, Mr. Toru. I'm always just interested in... fresh meat. I have just the right tools to keep a good handle on your new property, if you're interested..."

"I'm not." Yahiko stepped over the man's words sternly.

"Many pardons." The man said sheepishly, though his hands still wandered across Tenten's body, one groping her breast, while the other caressed her waist. "I'm a peddler of tools for fine slaves such as yours, and if I may, I'd like to offer you one for free, assuming I can use this one to demonstrate."

"Fine, show it to me, but demonstrate on her." Yahiko agreed, jerking a finger at Anko as eye the peddler with contempt. "And please take your hands off, before you do something that you'll regret later!" His hand moved to a concealed weapon, and the peddler took the hint.

"Apologies...!" He said with a reassuring bow. He quickly scuttled to a cart parked on the edge of a marketplace route, and returned with a very thin white plug of sorts. "Behold! My latest achievement in slave control technology!"

"A butt plug that small?" Yahiko scoffed. "Useless on anything but a first-time slave."

"Right you are, but only in it's current state." The peddler said enthusiastically. "If you'll allow me to demonstrate on...?" He paused as he turned to Anko.

"Goma." Yahiko replied dully, nodding a confirmation.

"Yes, Goma seems to be quite the disciplined servant." The peddler nodded admiringly at Anko. "So, a plug such as this shouldn't bother her in the slightest." He inserted the plug without a second's hesitation or concern up Anko's ass. True to his word, it didn't bother Anko at all, though Tenten was highly thankful that it didn't get inserted into her...

"As it is, yes, it's useless on Goma, whether for discipline, or pleasuring her, but that's easily changed with the push of a button!" The peddler announced, raising his voice as a small crowd appeared around his booth. He showed everyone a remote control, and pressed one of the buttons. Anko gave a small gasp in response, as she felt the plug thicken inside her ass. Though she had plugs far thicker at home, she knew she had to put on a good show for the audience, so she fell to her knees as the plug inflated like a balloon.

"Ah! S-Stop! I beg you, stop!" She pleaded, internally laughing at how easily so many people fell for her act.

"And there you have it!" The peddler said proudly. "This beauty of a device can enlarge to any size while inside of a slave's asshole, subduing even the most rebellious of servants! A very expensive item to be sure, but yours free, today only, Mr. Toru. Would you be interested?"

Anko nodded discreetly as Yahiko pulled his 'slave' to her feet, and he turned to the peddler. "Sure, why not? It may prove useful to break this new one." He patted Tenten's shoulder, and her discomfort reached an all-time high.

"Say... is she for sale?" The peddler asked, pointing to Tenten.

"No." Yahiko scowled, pulling her close.

"Ah, too bad. I would pay good money to have..."

"She's not for sale." Yahiko stated very sharply. "Good day." He snatched the remote, and jerked Tenten's leash to lead her away, Anko right behind.

"Nice! Souvenir." Anko smirked. "Now, what do you say we get settled in, 'master?'" She winked playfully at Yahiko.

"Agreed." Yahiko nodded. He directed his 'servants' through a bustling market place, which made the sex toy peddler look tame by comparison.

Tenten looked around her with horror as she saw all manners of illegal goods, ranging from sinister-looking weapons, to narcotics, some even selling people as if they were nothing more than tools.

It was then that she realized she and Anko weren't the only ones paraded through the streets in the nude; in fact, very few of the people walking the streets of the Silent Forest were without another in their thrall, almost as if owning a slave was a requirement to be in this sinister place. Now, she was REALLY starting to wish she didn't come along for this mission!

Every now and then, Yahiko would stop at a vendor or a passerby for a brief interaction, though what he was talking to them about, Tenten wasn't sure. Occasionally, Anko would also join in the conversation, performing a seductive action. Evidently, they were searching for information, as the path Yahiko led never seemed consistent; though he mostly traveled the marketplace for starters, he continued to lead the way from one end of town all the way to another, and then through bars, past a hotel...

The longer she remained naked outside in this town, the more uncomfortable and vulnerable Tenten felt, feeling as if she could be taken against her will at any moment. She admired how silent and even natural Anko seemed to act throughout the entire endeavor; though it was clear that Anko was playing the part of a long-time slave (and very well, to boot), she seemed as if it was just another day, like she had done this her whole life.

Tenten felt relieved when Yahiko's searching had concluded, and they checked into a local inn. Then, the two Tokubetsu Jounin inspected every inch of their room to ensure its security before turning to Tenten.

"I'm really sorry about all of this, Tenten." Yahiko said sincerely. "Are you alright?"

"...I'll live." Tenten muttered. "So... what the hell is with this place?"

"The Silent Forest." Anko grunted. "You'll never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy."

"So, this is where we're supposed to stop these Daimao's Den guys?" Tenten asked, wriggling uncomfortably with the rope that was riding up her crotch and ass. "What exactly are they doing, besides what I can only assume is their usual nasty stuff?"

"You know that their leader was recently put behind bars, right?" Yahiko asked as she loosened the segment of rope that gave Tenten discomfort.

"Mizuki, from the Ninja Academy, right?" She said.

"Yeah, so now, they want a new leader." Anko explained grimly as she took off her collar. "And given the place that they've chose to do such a search, I've got a bad feeling that I know exactly who they want their new 'Demon King' to be."

"But this looks like a place that they would have set up base in a long time ago." Tenten observed. "Who do they want as their new leader?"

"...Hopefully, you won't need to know." Anko replied uncomfortably. "We've got a big mission ahead of us." she corrected her own behavior quickly.

Tenten watched Anko uncertainly as she double-checked the equipment she and Yahiko had brought along for this mission. "Yahiko-sensei?" She whispered. "How come she's acting so weird? What are we in for?" She tugged at the rope binding her torso. "And can you get this Shibari stuff off? Playing the part of a bondage slave isn't nearly as fun as I thought it'd be."

"Sorry, but no." Yahiko replied. "I know it's uncomfortable, but we'll need that in the hours to come. Anyways, from my understanding, there's an important event happening later tonight that Daimao's Den seems intent on using to gain the attention of someone they hope to make their new leader, whoever it may be." Tenten noticed that this last part, 'whoever it may be', seemed like he added it at the last minute, as if he knew something he wasn't telling, but she let it go.

"So, we just infiltrate this event, and sabotage their attempts at expanding their enterprise." Anko concluded. "Simple... except not at all."

"Er... right." Tenten nodded awkwardly. "So, what's our plan?"

"Well... we've already got you in the necessary disguise..." Anko smirked, tightening Tenten's Shibari back up. "So, all that's left now is to find out where the party's being held, and crash it!"

"You really don't have a plan, do you?" Tenten grunted.

"Eh, Anko likes making things up as she goes." Yahiko shrugged. "Honestly, though, we don't really have another choice; until we know what's going on and where, there's not really anything else we can do."

Very little in the way of weaponry could be carried, much to Tenten's dismay; as someone who relied on weapons as part of her fighting style, she felt like she could only be more naked than she currently was if she were to have her Shibari removed. As she returned out into the Silent Forest under Yahiko's and Anko's lead, she couldn't help but notice that the streets, once packed full of people, were now strangely emptied. While a few people still lingered, the entire city felt disturbingly quiet.

"Seems like their special event's already started." Anko remarked.

"So it would seem..." Yahiko agreed. He scanned the area, and found a vendor who was packing up his shop of sinister-looking items. "Excuse me sir, but can you tell me what happened to everybody?"

"You kiddin?" The vendor chuckled. "The annual slave auction's about to start! I'm closing up shop to go check it out myself. Just head to the central plaza, you can't miss it!"

"Thanks, I'll be on my way." Yahiko waved as he led Anko and Tenten off through the deserted town.

"Slave auction, huh?" Anko muttered, shaking her head. "And just when you think your enemy's gonna surprise you..."

"Well, at least this makes things a little easier." Yahiko whispered as the group made their way to the plaza.

"How so?" Tenten asked.

"Slave trade is a favorite pastime of Daimao's Den." Yahiko explained, careful eyes out for any possible eavesdroppers. "It sounds like they plan on using this auction as an opportunity to win an audience with their potential new leader."

"And that means that this auction will need to be pulled off without a single hitch." Anko added. "So basically, we just crash the party, and mission accomplished! The Silent Forest's slave trade will be crippled for a little while, and one of the biggest threats to the Five Great Nations will be left quite vulnerable."

Tenten was glad that there was nobody else in sight at the time to see her grin at prospect. Although, something told her that this wasn't going to be as easy as Anko made it out to be. Especially seeing as how she was still donned in Shibari.

"So, how are we going to 'crash the party?'" she asked, almost afraid to ask.

"I'm gonna enter you in that slave auction." Anko smirked.

"...What!?"

* * *

_"Really, what the hell have I gotten myself into?" _Tenten thought wearily. True to her word, Anko now stood dressed in all black with a sleeveless shirt and demonic mask, acting as Tenten's master, having entered her into the auction behind all other manners of poor, enslaved souls. As she stood awaiting her turn to be called to the stage, she couldn't help but look around and formulate some sort of dream scheme to free everyone around her; though everyone seemed to buy her slave act, she knew nobody else around her was acting, and nobody was coming to these slaves' rescue. They were just property now, waiting to be...

"SOLD!" She could feel her heart pound in tandem with the gavel signifying that someone now owned a new servant. She began shaking nervously as another man and his slave went on stage.

"Hey..." Anko whispered, drawing closer in an attempt to look as if she were reprimanding her 'slave'. "Relax, and focus. You're here to kick some ass, not to be bought as some rich brat's sex toy."

"Y'know, saying it like that surprisingly doesn't help me feel any better." Tenten grumbled.

"We're going to be on stage in just a few minutes. After that, once Yahiko gives the signal, I wanna see you give those Daimao bitches all you got! Do that, and I can guarantee you that we're gonna get along great~! Kay?"

"Sounds good." Tenten tried not to look or sound too satisfied by this little talk, at the risk of blowing her cover, but her nervousness was, for the most part at least, subsiding for excitement.

While Tenten's attention was placed on the audience, searching for Yahiko, Anko's was centered on the stage; everyone running this auction, including the auctioneer, hid their faces behind what seemed to be Kabuki masks. Most notably, there were several wearing dark demon masks identical to her own, while the others' masks were white, with purple markings like war paint.

_"If I know Daimao's Den at all, their members are the ones in the demon masks." _Anko observed. She watched as one person in a demon mask conversed with another wearing a war painted mask. _"But these others...? _Inside, she felt as if she already knew the answers, but hoped to be proven wrong. It seemed clear that whoever was wearing the demon mask was intent on keeping his or her identity a secret, donning non-form-fitting clothing and a cloak over top, the hood shrouding what his or her mask couldn't. On the other hand, the one she conversed with was not so subtle, a thin yet masculine figure clearly showing, with only long black hair draping down to his shoulder blades to conceal his identity beyond his mask.

_"No, it couldn't be him...!?" _But, as if to make a point, she felt the back of her neck burn painfully. So much so, her gasp of pain grabbed the attention of several people around her, including Tenten's.

"Sensei...?"

"It's nothing, just... a headache." Anko lied feebly. Now, she prayed with every fiber of her being that whatever plan she and Yahiko were scheming would work! Because if it didn't...

"Next up, we've got some very fresh blood on the market tonight!" The auctioneer announced. "A new face to the auction, Goma, here to present her freshly-caught prize. Her name...?"

It took Anko a moment to regain focus, and put her slaver act back on as she walked almost mechanically onto the stage with Tenten in tow. "This little bitch doesn't have a name, and doesn't need one!" She spat at the auctioneer. "Where she came from doesn't fucking matter, because you won't find fresher blood than hers fuckin' anywhere!" These crude words invoked excitement in the audience, and even some on the stage seemed impressed by this statement.

"Then, I feel no shame whatsoever in proposing a starting bid of 10,000,000!" The auctioneer decided to rile up the crowd even more.

"15,000,000!"

"24,000,000!"

"30,000,000!"

Spotting Yahiko in the audience, Anko nodded to him, and Tenten simply tried her best to look helpless and lost... something that wasn't had, considering her current situation...

Meanwhile, Anko tried her hardest to shrug off the burning pain on the back of her neck; a pain that only seemed to grow as the black-haired man in the purple-marked mask drew closer to her. _"No! Get away, dammit!"_

"100,000,000!"

Yahiko took notice of the one approaching Anko, taking this as a sign that their plan needed to pick up the pace. He waded through the wild audience, ready to make the first daring move...

"NOW!"

Tenten's fingers were hovering just over the weapon summoning seals hidden in the ropes binding her, but saw a moment's confusion as it was not Yahiko nor Anko who gave this command, especially when verbal communication was not going to be their signal.

The audience scattered as kunai flew left and right, and Anko watched with no shortage of disbelief as she saw Konoha shinobi show themselves among the crowd one by one.

Several boys in bright orange grappled with those rioting in the stands, aided by the surprising strength of a small girl with long pink hair, and pale-eyed girl, whose chakra flew from her fingertips as she tag-teamed a gang of enemies with one of the spiky-haired boys.

A blinding shard of lightning sparked in one white-haired man's hand as he quickly dispatched the security that made to detain him, more security forces fled as one raven-haired boy shot a jet of fire from his mouth, a boisterous duo of beastly doppelgangers ripped and tore through the audience, another sent more Daimao ninjas fleeing as he appeared in a black cloud of angrily buzzing insects, and many more dropped like flies by a crimson-eyed woman's genjutsu.

"Unbelievable..." Yahiko's jaw dropped as he witnessed each and every member of Teams Kakashi and Kurenai assemble in the arena, standing ready to fight anyone that Daimao's Den had to throw at them.

Anko, though completely bewildered by the sudden party crashing, smirked as she witnessed her old students show off their skills in a spectacular entrance.

"...Son of a bitch."

**To Be Continued...**

* * *

**Wow, this took so much longer to finish than it should have! :/ **

**There's not too much else I can think to say right now, except that I really do hope to complete the next chapter or two much more quickly than this one. I really do want to finish the Crossroads series as soon as possible, and get back to the fun that made this series possible in the first place!**

**Next chapter: Secrets will be revealed**

**See you then!**

**As always, special thanks to Cloud Link Zero for use of his OC Yahiko.**


	7. Operation: Devil's Nest pt2

**Ugh, I keep saying that my next chapter will be done sooner, and it never is :/ Well, this is the second to last chapter of the Crossroads series, so not much longer now. Also, I wish to apologize in advance because this chapter has very little (well, almost no) fanservice, but I intend to make up for that with the Crossroads Finale! :D**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

"So, not that I'm complaining, but…" said Yahiko as the arena had been cleared by Kakashi's and Kurenai's squads.

"What the hell are you all doing here?" Anko laughed. "I would've thought you'd all be on some boring D Mission in the village?"

"Oh, if only…" Kurenai chuckled awkwardly.

"I've got good intel." Kakashi stated. "Intel without any of Danzo's filters. But more on that another time," He drew a kunai, pointing it to the two masked figures still standing readily on stage as if there'd been no disruptions. "Surrender. You're both outnumbered."

Neither one showed any sign of concern. One of them, a clearly male figure with very long black hair, turned to Kakashi as if acknowledging him, before looking back around at the six Genin, who were admiring each other's handiwork.

"Outnumbered, but hardly overpowered." A low, silky smooth voice spoke from behind the purple-patterned mask.

A deep chill penetrated Anko sharply at the sound of his voice. She knew that voice, all too well!_ "I was hoping… I was hoping beyond sensibility that it wasn't him, but…" _She winced as a burning pain stung the back of her neck. _"It's him!"_

"You're wanted dead or alive by order of The Third Hokage." Kakashi stated, slowly shifting into a battle ready position; he knew that very soon, he would be in for a fight. "And given what deplorable things I've seen your people doing, I'm not against killing you here and now!"

"You can try, Kakashi of the Sharingan." The masked man chuckled, amused by the threat he'd been issued.

"Of the WHAT?" Sasuke caught word of the masked man's statement.

"Oh?" Kakashi blinked interestedly. "I guess there's no point in hiding it, then." He pulled up the headband that covered the left part of his face, revealing a long scar straight down his left eye; a bright red eye with three black tomoe encircling the pupil.

"The hell?" Naruto looked down at Kakashi with intrigue; ever since he'd first laid eyes on his new teacher, he wondered what secrets his hidden face held. "What's…? His eye…?"

"The Sharingan." Sasuke frowned seriously. "How is it possible that he has THAT technique?"

Yahiko stepped back from the coming battle, guiding Tenten with him. "You know what to do?" He whispered.

Tenten nodded, though she couldn't help but feel incredibly underpowered in her current state; completely naked, save the rope wound around her body, no weapons… she was beginning to regret ever coming along on this adventure. _"I've heard of 'feeling naked', but this is just ridiculous!" _

Just as everyone followed Kakashi's lead, preparing themselves for the fight of their lives against the two masked figures, the black-haired man simply turned his back on the three adult shinobi, as if he had better things to do.

"Well… this has been fun." He said amusedly. "Kill them." He ordered his partner, who nodded plainly as he walked away.

"No you fucking don't!" Anko snapped. She sprinted after the black-haired man, only for his companion to stand in her way, pushing her back. Anko jumped back, and after performing a series of handsigns, expelled a jet of fire from her mouth. The flames didn't visibly faze the mysterious stranger, but they didn't need to; it was enough for Anko to get past him, and make chase after the other masked man.

"Anko!" Yahiko made to run after her, but a lightning-fast strike from the demon-masked figure caught his attention. He evaded the strike, but not quickly enough to get past him or her. "Damn! Always acting on her own…"

Kakashi also turned to chase Anko, but the demon-masked figure seemingly teleported to restrain him as well. "This one's intent on keeping us from leaving." He observed.

* * *

Anko furiously pursued the masked man across the buildings of the silent forest, which appeared to be completely abandoned; though previously, the streets were thriving with less than legal business, now they appeared completely barren. This concerned Anko little, as she was only focused on hunting down the sinister man ahead of her.

_"__He's not retreating to save his ass," _She knew perfectly well._ "He's leading me away from the others on purpose. That other fucker, whoever that is, he or she's keeping the others from following us." _She smirked with determination. _"Well, that's just fine by me!"_

She threw a kunai, which the masked man batted away effortlessly. He grabbed the cord that'd been tied to the knife, and pulled hard, drawing Anko in closer. He then held out his hand, and a dozen angry snakes shot out from within his sleeve, striking at Anko, who countered with a blast of fire from her mouth, melting the snakes, as she landed a punch right into the mask, which cracked under the pressure of her fist.

The mysterious figure dropped from the rooftops, where he tumbled to the ground helplessly. Anko landed softly on the ground in front of him, knowing better than to fall for his pathetic ruse.

"So it's true." She said darkly. "You've returned."

The man laughed evilly as he got to his feet, one hand on his crumbling mask. "You haven't lost your touch, have you?"

Anko could feel her hands shaking as her rage built. "I know… I've ALWAYS known; everyone else thinks you were gone forever, some even claim you died."

"How insulting." The man said indignantly. "That so many think I would befall such an ugly fate?"

"I knew that it was only a matter of time until you returned." said Anko. "But to think… to think that you'd stoop as low as Daimao's Den?"

"Don't insult me, Anko." The man laughed as pieces of his mask fell to the ground. "They are indeed far beneath me. But, they serve a very important purpose as well."

"And what purpose is that?!" Anko demanded, wincing as the burning sensation behind her neck built. "Kidnapping, enslaving, and killing innocent people? What 'important purpose' does that serve?"

"You still fail to understand…" The pain Anko felt grew even further as she saw chalk white skin under the man's mask, and a reptilian bright yellow eye. "My former pupil."

* * *

"It looks like we're not going anywhere…" Yahiko remarked, standing defensively in front of Tenten.

"So what now?" asked Tenten.

"Nothing we can really do, but fight." said Yahiko.

The masked figure looked around at the many shinobi all around the arena, clearly deciding who to fight first. Even the three Jounin couldn't predict the first move this enigma would make. That is, until the demonic eyes of the mask looked over the six Genin in the stands. The eyes stopped on Naruto, and in the blink of an eye, the figure vanished.

The next second, Naruto was beaten to the ground, the demonic masked person standing over him, only to be staggered as Hinata, hands glowing blue with chakra, struck from behind. She made a second palm strike, accompanied by Sakura, but both of their punches were blocked in the hands of the masked person.

"Now!" Both girls shouted together.

Four Narutos descended upon the mysterious fighter, and Kiba, accompanied by his canine doppelganger, pounced with claws ready to rip and tear. Their mysterious enemy was blown across the arena, hitting the ground hard. However, none of the loud-mouthed Genin ended up making the next blow.

It was Sasuke. Standing in a serious battle stance, he confronted the enemy alone. The masked figure, despite keeping his or her identity or intentions completely concealed, expressed a subtle sense of amusement in how seriously his onyx-haired opponent faced him.

"The hell was that!?" Naruto yelled irritably, laying crumpled over Kiba, having collided into him by Sasuke's interference.

Sasuke paid his outburst no mind, though; the moment his eyes locked with those of the demon mask's, nothing else mattered: he would kill this mysterious enemy, no matter what.

He fetched out handfuls of shuriken and charged at his opponent. He threw every one of his shuriken, then using a fire jutsu, ignited his projectiles.

However, the attack was rendered useless, as the shuriken were stopped in mid-air, their flames extinguished. With a wave of the hand, their target redirected the shuriken back at Sasuke, who deflected them with a swipe of a kunai, which he then threw, only for its target to effortlessly dodge.

"Perfect!" Sasuke muttered as he cycled through a series of hand signs. "Fire Style! Dragon Flame Jutsu!"

He produced a tremendous fire that took the shape of a dragon, which traveled through the wire attached to the thrown kunai, its mouth opening to engulf the opponent.

* * *

"Why now?" Anko demanded. "You knew that you'd be revealing yourself, allying with Daimao's Den when they're most exposed."

The masked man chuckled at Anko's question, as if she already knew the answer. "The wrong question to ask; we're hardly allies, Anko, and you know the petty rebellion of Daimao's Den is of little interest to me…"

"And yet, you're the one who created them in the first place," Anko retorted. "Isn't that right, Orochimaru?"

"This much is true," Orochimaru confessed as the broken pieces of his mask fell to the ground. "Indeed, it is of my creation. And, it has grown significantly, both in scale and ruthlessness, since I have cast it aside. But, much like you, it has also become a far greater disappointment."

"Then why involve yourself with them again?" Anko snarled through gritted teeth.

"For as much as they've devolved into rebellious savages, they also possess something that belongs to me," Orochimaru replied. "And I intend to reclaim it."

"And what's that?" Even before she asked this question, Anko knew that her former teacher wouldn't answer.

Orochimaru laughed at such a question. "What reason would I have to tell you that?" He smirked as his tongue slid across his mouth, clearly thirsty for blood. "You realize why I've pulled you away from your comrades, correct?"

"Yeah, because you couldn't pass up the chance for a reunion with your favorite student in all of Konoha." Anko sneered sarcastically, rolling her eyes.

She threw a handful of kunai, but as expected, her former teacher evaded, countering with a large flurry of senbon. At first, Anko thought she had dodged all of them as she jumped to the roof, but then, out of nowhere, felt a painful sting as she saw one of the needles had stuck into her shoulder.

Instantly, her face filled with terror, knowing exactly what this meant. She shook her head vigorously, knowing she needed to act fast.

* * *

With the six Genin beaten and either too injured or exhausted to keep up the fight, the mysterious enemy advanced on Naruto, laying against a wall in a daze. He stood clumsily, prepared to defend himself to the bitter end. As the masked opponent approached him, he charged weakly, only to be hoisted off his feet by the front of his jacket.

"Listen well, boy." A soft, nondescript voice came from behind the mask. "I will let you and all your friends live, if you do something for me..."

"I'm not some coward!" Naruto growled. "Don't think… Don't think I'm gonna beg for my life if that's what you want!"

"Hardly." The masked person sounded amused. "Simply deliver a message for me: Tell Anko Mitarashi these words…" Naruto was pulled closer to the demon mask, and two words escaped the mouth of the person behind it:

"Naga lives."

Naruto stared at the mask's eyes with complete bewilderment. Nothing about this request made any sense; either why this was enough to ward off such a capable foe, or why such strange words needed to be delivered to anyone, let alone Anko specifically. Regardless, he knew this was a simple enough task.

"Yeah, okay. Got it."

"Then I have no further reason to remain here." The mysterious person dropped Naruto onto his behind, nodded to him as if to emphasis how important such a message was, and jumped to the roof to escape, only to be ensnared by a rope bound to the ankle.

"Gotcha!" Tenten shouted triumphantly. Now totally naked, she used the rope once wrapped around her body to lasso the mystery person. "Normally, I'd have a lot more to fight with, but… Yahiko-sensei didn't really leave me with a lot of options!"

"That's more than enough, Tenten." Yahiko grinned. "We'll take him from here." He made a lunging strike, but the mysterious figure had countered his attack, cut the rope, and seemingly teleported out of sight before either of the other Jounin could even make another move.

"What the hell was that?" Kakashi blinked. Not even with his more powerful left eye could he believe what he saw.

"Who was that?" Naruto wondered aloud to himself. "And how does that person know Anko-sensei…." His heart leapt. "Anko-sensei!" He jumped to his feet. "We gotta…!" However, before he could start running, he fell forward dizzily, too worn by his battle with the stranger.

"He's right." Kakashi nodded. "Anko may be in danger."

"I'll stay and guard the Genin, if that's alright." Kurenai said sheepishly. Already feeling in over her head, she felt as if she'd be no help to Kakashi or Yahiko.

"Good idea." Yahiko confirmed. "This place might be abandoned, but after what all we've seen today, it'd be unwise to leave them unguarded."

When Yahiko and Kakashi headed off in search of Anko, Kurenai heaved a sigh as she dropped wearily into a sitting position as she watched over the heap of beaten, exhausted Genin.

"Um… was this part of the plan?" Tenten said awkwardly. "Because I'm honestly finding all of this kind of hard to follow."

"You and me both." Kurenai sighed. "Also…" She added, red-faced. "…Why are you naked?"

"Eh, long story." Tenten shrugged. "Gotta admit though, it was... surprisingly kind of fun."

"I don't want to know." Kurenai sighed again.

* * *

"Y-you're not leaving this city tonight, Orochimaru!" Anko panted raggedly. The poison injected into her via Orochimaru's senbon was slowly starting to take hold. "Striking Shadow Snake!"

Four angry snakes had been summoned, coiled around Anko's arm, who lashed at Orochimaru, binding him to the wall behind him. However, she didn't come out unscathed; she too was soon bound by ravenous snakes.

"Did you really think you could use my own techniques against me?" Orochimaru sneered. "I've told you many times that your foolish interest in Erojutsu was nothing more than a waste of time; had you applied yourself to something more practical, you might prove a challenge to me."

Anko snarled with frustration at her situation; hardly able to move, barely able to cast any Jutsu, and slowly being killed from the inside by poison. _"I've developed an immunity to 300 different poisons in my life time," _She panted, trying to stay on her feet. _"But this… this is something new entirely. I can't…" _

She dropped to her knees, unable to remain standing much longer. "You're right." She conceded. "No way that I can come out of this fight alive… Sensei."

Orochimaru smirked at his helpless target, releasing her as his bindings too disappeared. "You still have some potential, Anko." He said as he drew closer to Anko. "You have proven that you are still of some very good use to me." He knelt down to his former pupil as he offered her a hand.

For a sliver of a moment, Anko could see the kind-faced man who originally took her in as his apprentice; one of the most famous figures of Konoha, someone to be proud of learning from. Left with no other choice, she took her teacher's hand, allowing him to pull her back up onto her feet.

_"__Naruto. Hinata. Yahiko. Emi. Everyone. I'm sorry…"_

As Orochimaru let go of Anko's hand, she grabbed his, this time making a hand seal as her other hand gripped his wrist tightly.

"No way I can come out of this fight alive," She smirked. "But if that means I can take you out with me, so be it!"

"What?!" Orochimaru gasped, his reptilian eyes recognizing the sign Anko made; the sign of a very dangerous forbidden jutsu!

"Twin Snake Sacrifice!" As the words escaped her mouth, Anko began to feel the gravity of the jutsu she was prepared to use. Uneasy, yet also accepting of death.

However, Orochimaru's fear soon turned to amusement. "You dare to use such a forbidden jutsu?" Anko gasped as she realized that his voice came not from the man standing in front of her but behind her!

She turned her head, and realized with absolute terror what she had just done; the person she had bound herself to, the one she was sacrificing her life alongside, was just a fake that the real Orochimaru had substituted with.

She had just thrown away her life for nothing.

"You will die alone." Orochimaru stated darkly. "...But not here, and not now." He formed a hand sign, and Anko's hand was forcefully released from the fake's, her jutsu nullified. "As I said, you are still useful to me; it would be nothing short of a waste if you were to die now. Rest assured, you will serve your purpose, and then, on my terms…" Orochimaru vanished into thin air, his voice echoing on.

"…You will die."

Anko fell to the ground, the poison taking hold and her sensei's words weighing heavily upon her. She fought to stand back up, but the more she did, the more the muscles in her body began to relax and weaken. Unable to hold herself up, she dropped onto her front, teeth gritted as she made a realization; this wasn't poison at all.

"Son of a bitch hit me with a tranquilizer." Anko spat. "That fucker STILL doesn't take me seriously…!" In a matter of seconds, she lost all consciousness.

* * *

Anko was abruptly awakened by a sharp, burning pain on the back of her neck. Instinctively, she tried to grip the pained spot with one hand, but her arms and hands could barely move; the most she could do was move her fingers, which were all tightly clenched.

Her eyes flew open, only to be blinded by the incredibly bright light overhead.

"What the hell happened!?" She growled, her body still numb from Orochimaru's tranquilizer.

"We were kind of hoping you could fill us in." She could hear the familiar voice of Yahiko Satoru by her side.

"Long story…" Anko sighed. "How long have I been out?"

"About two days." Yahiko replied.

"Well, fuck me!" Anko groaned. "What all's happened? Did we stop Daimao's Den's activities? Everyone okay? You find out who that other masked asshole was?"

"In the Silent Forest, yes… for now anyways, everybody's fine, and we still have absolutely no damn clue." Yahiko summarized. "But, more importantly, what happened on your end? And why did you run off, and abandon your teammates?" He sounded a little angry.

"I didn't want any unnecessary harm to come to you or any of the Genin." Anko explained. "The other masked man…" She struggled to sit up. "...I had to face him alone." Her eyes now adjusted to the light, she looked Yahiko in the eyes very seriously, and he slowly came to an understanding.

"I was hoping against all hope that it wasn't really him," He grunted. "He was seriously behind all of this?"

"I don't know what his involvement with Daimao's Den is," Anko shook her head. "All he told me was that they had something he wanted to 'take back.'" A still silence passed over her and Yahiko for several minutes.

"By the way," Anko finally said. "I asked you to fuck me, so why didn't you?"

"Because the Hokage is standing right next to me." Yahiko jerked a finger to his left as The Third Hokage cleared his throat sharply.

"…Normally, I'd propose a threesome, but, and no offense…" Anko looked away awkwardly.

"Never mind what you do in your free time." The Hokage spoke up seriously, though tipping his hat down to hide his embarrassed expression. "Your mission in the Silent Forest. Was it successful?"

Yahiko and Anko exchanged a questioning look, unsure themselves if they really accomplished the goals they set out to accomplish.

"The Silent Forest has been cleared of Daimao's Den's presence." Yahiko summarized. "The people they kidnapped have been freed, and the Anbu is sweeping the area in search of…"

"Have you prevented Daimao's Den from electing a new leader?" The Hokage asked, directly to the point.

"…We honestly have no clue." Anko sighed. "At face value, the person they were looking to make their 'Demon King' has denied them, but that's only because he's not associated to Daimao's Den at all."

"And there's more," Yahiko added. "Another, highly skilled Shinobi who seems to have powerful ties to the Den: everything about that Shinobi's identity; gender, background, skills, all a huge blank."

"Might this mystery Shinobi be their new leader?" The Hokage suggested.

"Possible, but unclear." Yahiko replied, wishing he had more to say on the matter.

"And what of the one they wished to make their leader?" The Hokage asked.

"You already know." Anko sighed.

"I need to hear it from you, not anyone else."

It seemed to pain Anko to even just think of saying it: "Orochimaru." She gave the Hokage a moment for the name to sink in; after all, she knew, just as she was once his student, Orochimaru was once student of the Third. "He's told me that he has no interest in leading Daimao's Den: Only using them. He told me that they have something that 'belongs to him,' and he wants to take it back."

The Hokage took in these words with unease, though whether it was because he knew something, or because of what he didn't know, neither Anko nor Yahiko could tell.

"You're both dismissed for now." He said. "Anko, get plenty of rest; when you're cleared to leave, come see me. You as well, Yahiko."

"Sir?" Anko blinked.

"We will have something more… pleasant to discuss." The Hokage hid a grin from the pair. "Until then, I will take my leave."

Just as he departed, Naruto had hurried into Anko's room, panting as he stopped short of Yahiko.

"Anko-sensei!" He wheezed. "I heard… heard you were finally awake."

Anko smirked at him. "Hey, I know you wanna celebrate your first successful mission, but isn't there someone else you could partake in the celebrations with~?"

"Not why I'm here…" Naruto panted, catching his breath. "But, now that you mentioned it…" He smirked right back.

"Sorry Naruto, but I got first dibs." Yahiko teased. "What's wrong? Why the rush?"

"During all that crazy crap in that "Quiet Woods' place…"

"Silent Forest." Anko corrected him, rolling her eyes.

"…That mystery guy in the demon mask told me to deliver a message to Anko-sensei." Naruto explained.

"Wait, that person spoke with you?!" Yahiko looked at Naruto with intrigue.

"Yeah." Naruto looked at Anko curiously. "Something I didn't understand: Naga Lives."

Both Yahiko and Anko gasped at these words.

"I don't get it, though." Naruto shrugged. "What does that mean?"

"Never you mind right now." Anko grinned. "Let's just say it means that sooner or later, I'm going to be meeting up with an old friend of mine. Anyways, we're gonna be having a party at my place tonight, so make sure you're there, got it?"

"Yep! I'm meeting with Hinata at the Cozy Condom in a few minutes, so have fun, sensei!" Naruto smiled.

**To Be Concluded…..**

**Yep! It's been too long, but finally, the Crossroads series is about to come to an end! **

**And hopefully my writer's block too, right? ...Right?**

**As always, Special Thanks to CloudLinkZero for his OC Yahiko.**


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